Remembering Mo
by Love That Wicked
Summary: Sequel to I'll Keep Her.  Maureen and Joanne are still dealing with her amnesia.  Of course it's a MoJo.  COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

"Where have you been?"

"What?"

"Don't pull the 'I didn't hear you' thing with me. Just tell me where you've been."

"Out."

"You drag your ass back in here at three in the morning and all I get is you were out?"

"Yep."

"And you're drunk."

"No I'm not."

"All right, let me see you walk in a straight line."

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because."

"Because you know you can't do it."

"No, because it's stupid. And before you go and get all high and mighty I said walking in a straight line is stupid, I didn't call _you_ stupid."

"I didn't say you did. Look, I don't want to argue. Just tell me where you've been."

"I don't have to tell you jack shit. I can come and go as I please. I'm an adult."

"Yeah, you're really acting like one."

"Kiss my ass. I'm going to bed."

"Oh no you're not. We're not through yet! Maureen? Maureen?!"

She bolted upright, her name ringing in her ears as her heart hammered a frantic beat against her ribs. It took her a second to realize she was in her bedroom, safe and sound in her own bed. She closed her eyes, telling herself to calm down. But adrenaline continued to course through her veins, letting her know there was no way in hell she was going back to sleep any time soon.

She threw back the covers, shivering slightly as the cooler air of the room made contact with her sweat soaked skin.

"Honeybear?"

She mentally kicked herself for waking her lover. "It's all right, Jo. Go back to sleep."

The lawyer rolled over to face her, her eyes little more than slits. "Where are you going?"

"The little girl's room. Now go back to sleep. You have to get up early, remember?"

"I always have to get up early." Joanne mumbled the words as she burrowed further into the bed. "Being a lawyer sucks."

Normally a comment like that would have at least made Maureen grin, but not tonight. She quickly climbed out of bed, not wanting to disturb Joanne more than she already had.

A glance at the alarm clock told her it was three in the morning. Maybe that's where the time reference came from in her dream. Or maybe that wasn't it at all. Maybe once upon a time she had strolled back into this very apartment in the wee small hours of the morning, stinking drunk and ready to fight with the woman she loved more than anything else in the world.

She growled as she made her way into the living room and threw herself down on the couch. That's all her life had been lately, a big long string of maybes.

It was those damn dreams. None of them made sense. They were nothing more than bits and pieces of different conversations and events, but they had her second guessing everything about herself. Were they just her subconscious blowing off nonsense steam or was she finally, after two months of wanting nothing more, getting her memories back?

And if those were her memories, what the hell kind of person had she been?

She dreamt about everyone. Joanne, Angel, Collins, Mimi, Roger, Mark. And none of them had been exempt from the other her. The one who didn't seem to give a damn about anyone but herself. She had ranted and raved and been snide. A downright bitch who did and said whatever it took to get her own way.

The though of hurting any of her friends bothered her, but the fact that Joanne seemed to be on the receiving end the most just about killed her. How could anyone treat another human being so coldly, especially the woman she claimed to love? That's why she constantly doubted the dreams were actual memories. She couldn't have hurt Joanne like that in the past, could she?

The easiest way to find out would be to ask, but she couldn't make herself do it. If her dreams really were memories, how could she live with herself for being so cruel to Joanne and the others? And if they weren't Joanne would probably want her to go see a shrink or something. Neither of those options seemed particularly appealing to her.

"Mo?"

She sat up when she heard Joanne coming down the hall. She thought about not answering, but what was the point? The lawyer wouldn't stop looking until she found her. "In here."

Joanne yawned as she came into the room. "What are you doing sitting out here in the dark?"

"I couldn't go back to sleep."

"Bad dreams?"

She swallowed hard. "What?"

"I took a shot. You hardly ever have trouble sleeping." Joanne sat down beside her. "Want to talk about it?"

"There's nothing to talk about." She shrugged. "I just woke up and couldn't go back to sleep. You, on the other hand, were sleeping like a rock. I'm sorry I woke you."

"Don't be. I wouldn't be able to sleep knowing you were up anyway. I get lonely when you're not beside me."

"Well you should try. You have that case to work on tomorrow."

"You're more important than any old case. So how about I keep you company instead?"

"All right. But don't blame me when you're tired and grumpy tomorrow."

"Can it and come here." Joanne pulled her into arms.

Everything just seemed to fade away as soon as she was in the safety of Joanne's arms. Nothing else mattered except being close to her.

"I love you."

She smiled. "I bet I love you more."

"Not possible." Joanne started running her fingers through her hair. "Mo?"

"Yeah?"

"You know you can talk to me about anything, right?"

Her heart clinched. Talk about a moment spoiler. She wanted to open up to Joanne, she really did, but how was she supposed to talk to her about something she didn't fully understand herself?

"Of course I do." She wasn't sure where the answer came from, but it sounded good to her.

"Just making sure." Joanne settled against the back of the couch, pulling her closer in the process.

Maureen tried to push her thoughts away as she melted against Joanne, but they wouldn't cooperate. One question just kept going around and around in her head… Was she starting to lose it?


	2. Chapter 2

"Maureen?"

Someone shook her shoulder.

"Hey, Mo."

"Huh?" She slid one eye open to see Joanne sitting next to her on the edge of the couch. "Did I doze off while you were in the shower?"

"You must have."

"Not surprising considering someone kept me up half the night cuddling."

"If memory serves me correctly you were the one who woke me up." Joanne frowned. "Are you sure you're feeling all right."

"Fit as a fiddle." She reached up, pulling the lawyer down for a kiss. "See?"

Joanne half grinned. "Your lips say you're fine, but your eyes say you're exhausted. If you keep having trouble sleeping I'm taking you to the doctor."

"But…"

"No buts about it, Maureen. We're not playing around where your health is concerned." She cupped her cheek. "Just humor me, all right?"

"Fine." Maureen sighed. "But we won't have to go because nothing is wrong. According to what I've been told sleeping has never been a problem for me."

"Who's your source?"

"I'll never tell."

Joanne shook her head. "I've got to get going. But I'm only working a half day today."

"Yea!" Maureen clapped. "Does that mean The Life for dinner?"

"Sure, if that's what you want to do."

"I can think of something else I'd rather do." Maureen sat up, putting herself nose to nose with her lover.

Joanne quirked an eyebrow. "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. But if we get to The Life early enough we can cut out and come back here for a little…" She whispered in Joanne's ear.

"I like the sound of that." Joanne was all smiles.

"Then get out of here. The sooner you get to work the sooner you'll be home. Who knows, maybe we could even have a little fun before we head out for dinner."

"Keep talking like that and I won't be going in at all today." Joanne brought her lips to Maureen's, kissing her passionately before resting her forehead against hers. "I love you."

"I love you too." Maureen swatted her on the butt. "Now go."

"All right, all right." Joanne stood up. "But only if you agree to take it easy today. We can do the laundry and clean the apartment together on Saturday."

"Uh, no." Maureen shook her head as she got up. "The only way you talked me out of getting a job was by saying I could take care of things here while you're at the office. It's not fair to you to work all week and then have house chores on the weekend."

"But…" Joanne sighed when she saw the look on her lover's face. "Fine. Have it your way. Just remember who won the argument about going to the doctor."

"That's not set in stone though, is it?" Maureen followed her to the door, slipping on her shoes. "I'll walk you down."

"What?" Joanne furrowed her brow. "Why?"

"To get the mail. We were in such a hurry to spend time together last night that we forgot it yesterday."

"You mean I forgot to grab it on my way up."

"No, I mean _we_ forgot it." Maureen wrapped her hands around Joanne's arm after she shut the door. "I could use the walk anyway. Otherwise I might fall asleep on the couch again." She giggled at the look Joanne gave her. "Just kidding."

"You're so not funny sometimes." Joanne pulled her arm closer to her body, bringing Maureen with it. "But I think I'll keep you anyway."

"You say the sweetest things sometimes." Maureen put her head on Joanne's shoulder as they got on the elevator.

A few seconds later they reached the lobby.

"This is your stop." Joanne kissed the top of her head. "Unless you'd like to walk me to the parking garage too."

"No, that might seem a little too much like stalking." Maureen kissed her tenderly. "Bye, baby."

"I'll see you around one."

"I'll be waiting." Maureen stepped off the elevator, staying where Joanne could see her until the elevator doors closed. The instant they did she let her shoulders slump. The whole not sleeping thing was going to be harder to keep from Joanne than she thought. But she was going to have to try. The more she slept, the more dreams she had. Yes she might get exhausted but she would rather be tired than keep facing the questions that woke her up the night before.

"That was very sweet."

She frowned when she saw Joanne's mother walking toward her.

"Don't look so shocked to see me. Did you honestly think I would stand by and do nothing while you tear my daughter's life to shreds?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"I think you do." Mrs. Jefferson came to a stop a few feet from her. "I heard it through the grapevine that you have amnesia." She shook her head. "I don't buy it for a minute."

Maureen sighed. "I don't really care what you believe and what you don't. I'm not going to stand here and…"

"Oh yes you are." The older woman grabbed her arm in a vice like grip. "You're going to listen to every word I have to say. You're going to remember what you did to my little girl one way or another."

She tried to get away. "I've never done anything to Joanne."

"More like you've never done anything for her." She spat the words. "Do you honestly expect me to believe you've forgotten all the times you stayed out half the night and left her sitting at home to worry?"

Maureen swallowed hard. That sounded just like the dream she had last night.

"Or all the people, both men and women, you flirted with right in front of her."

And that was one from a few nights ago.

"Or the way you wrecked your engagement party by having some kind of drama queen fit?"

It was like falling down the rabbit hole. The Jeffersons making a beautiful toast to her and Joanne. Everyone congratulating them. Going in search of something stronger than champagne to drink. Talking to the girl serving the alcohol. Joanne flipping out on her because she thought she was flirting. Telling Joanne there would always be women in rubber flirting with her. The two of them trading ugly insults. Both of them agreeing they were through. Walking away.

She closed her eyes, wishing the images would stop.

"That's right." Mrs. Jefferson shook her. "You ripped her heart out that day. And then you pulled that whole dying stunt and she took you back with open arms. Well I won't have it. Do you hear me? I want you out of my daughter's life!!"

Maureen's eyes snapped open as she glared at Mrs. Jefferson. "Back off bitch!" She shoved her away, flinching as she stumbled into the wall. "I'm sorry. I…"

"No you're not. You would probably throw me down the elevator shaft given half the chance."

"No, I would never…"

"That's where you're wrong. The Maureen Johnson I know would do all that and more. This goody goody routine of yours couldn't last forever you know." She lifted her chin. "Why don't you do us both a favor and hit me?"

Maureen was shocked to find her right hand curling into a fist at her side.

"Come on, you know you want to. Let me have it."

She shook her head. "No."

Mrs. Jefferson leered. "Why? Afraid Joanne would see you for what you really are if you did? Afraid her pity over what happened to you would finally wear off and she'd realize she can't stand you anymore?"

"Shut up." Maureen's head was spinning with images. Bar fights. Screaming matches. Everything that happened at the country club. "Shut up!!"

She turned away from the older woman and dashing toward the front entrance.

"That's right." Mrs. Jefferson followed her. "Get out of here!"

She hit the revolving door running.

"Go away! And don't ever bother coming back again!!"

The woman's words followed her as she sprinted away from the building.


	3. Chapter 3

Joanne gave her desk a once over, making sure she had everything she needed in her briefcase before snapping it shut. She had busted some major ass, getting four hours worth of work done in two so she could surprise Maureen by getting home even earlier than she was supposed to.

She had downplayed her concerns before, but she really was worried about her lover. Maureen had been having trouble sleeping for the past week or so. And no matter what Joanne asked her she said everything was fine and acted like nothing was going on. But she knew better. Just like she knew Maureen wouldn't open up to her until she was good and ready.

The past two months hadn't been easy. Yes their relationship was the best it had ever been, but Maureen got easily frustrated by not being able to remember things. She insisted on spending as much time with the Bohos as she could in the hopes that something one of them said would open the floodgates and everything would come back to her.

"Joanne?"

She jumped when she heard the disembodied voice of the firm's receptionist. "Oh come on, Carmen. I'm practically out the door."

"I know and I'm sorry. But there's a woman on line two who refuses to go into voice mail. She says it's urgent."

Joanne rolled her eyes. "Is there really a call on line two or are you helping Maureen with another of her jokes? Because I'm really not in the mood."

Her unconvincing tone made Carmen chuckle. "It's not her, Jo. Not unless she's really learned to disguise her voice."

"All right." She sighed as she rounded the desk and picked up the phone. "Joanne Jefferson."

"Joanne?"

She frowned. "Mrs. Crenshaw?"

Helen Crenshaw lived in the apartment below them and had to be one of the cutest little old ladies Joanne had ever seen. She thought the world and all of Maureen and the girls made it a point to go and see her at least once a week. But what was she doing calling her here? How did she even know where she worked?

"It was awful Joanne. Simply awful!"

Obviously the older woman was upset. The how could wait until she found out the why. "Slow down, Mrs. Crenshaw. What was awful?"

"What that woman did to our Maureen!"

Joanne swallowed hard. "What woman? What's wrong with Maureen?"

"I went down to get my mail. I take the stairs you know, because the doctor says it's good for that new fangled hip they gave me a couple of years back. Anyway, I saw the two of you at the elevator. And I have to tell you, you're the sweetest couple I've ever seen. I don't care what anyone say, as long as you're happy, who cares who you're with?"

Somehow Joanne resisted the urge to scream, "Get to the point!" into the phone.

"Well after you left some other woman started talking to Maureen. She was completely off her rocker, Joanne! She just kept yelling hurtful things at our Maureen!!"

"Wait a minute." Joanne interrupted her. "Some woman attached Maureen in the lobby?"

"She did more than that, sweetie. She drove her away!"

"You mean Maureen actually got in a car with her?!"

"No, no. I mean she just kept yelling and gripping Maureen's arm until Maureen threw her against the wall and ran away."

Joanne ran her free hand threw her hair. This just kept getting worse and worse. "Where did she run to?"

"What?"

"Maureen, where did she run to? You? Our apartment?"

"She ran out the front door, dear. I have no idea where she went!"

No, no, no!! This couldn't be happening. Not again.

"After she ran out I told that nasty woman to get out of our building. And do you know what she did… She told me to mind my own business. Can you believe that?! She verbally attacks our little Maureen and then has the audacity to tell me to mind my own business!!"

Joanne barely heard what she was saying. Where could Maureen have gone? She hated to call the other Bohos to form another search party, but she was going to have to. There was no way she could find Maureen by herself. Not when she had a two hour head start.

"I would have called you sooner, but I went out to see if I could find Maureen close to the building. By the time I got back inside I was so shaken up it took me a while to get back up to my apartment. Then I couldn't find that darned card Maureen gave me in case I ever needed to reach you."

"It's all right Mrs. Crenshaw. You're telling me now."

"I just hope Maureen's all right. She seems so delicate lately."

Joanne closed her eyes, willing herself not to cry. "I know. Don't worry. I'll find her."

"I knew if anyone could it would be you. When you do, give her my love."

"I will." With that she hung up. She didn't want to be rude, but she couldn't afford to spend any more time on the phone with her. Finding Maureen had to be her top priority and she couldn't do that from her office.

She could, however, get the Bohos out and about. She picked up the phone and started to dial Mark and Roger's number, knowing one of them was bound to be home.

"Joanne?"

Her blood ran cold when she heard the voice coming from her doorway. She looked up to see her mother standing there with a smug look on her face.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm still your mother." Mrs. Jefferson gestured with one hand as she came into the room. "Can't I come see my daughter at work?"

"No." She finished dialing the number, determined to ignore her.

"Don't be rude, Joanne. I didn't raise you to be a rude girl."

Joanne clinched her jaw. "I'm busy right now."

"Of course I didn't raise you to want to sleep with other women either, but you do." Her mother talked over her. "Especially women like Maureen Johnson." Her voice dripped with venom when she said the name.

You could almost see the light bulb appear over Joanne's head. "It was you, wasn't it? You attacked Maureen at our building!"

"I hardly attacked her." Her mother scoffed. "And how did you hear about it already?" She suddenly nodded. "Oh yes, the old busybody that tried to kick me out."

"What the hell is your problem?! Why can't you just leave us alone?!"

"Because she's all wrong for you, Joanne! As your mother I can't stand by and watch you make such a horrible mistake!!"

"Maureen is not a mistake!!!" Joanne paused, telling herself to calm down before she beat the other woman senseless. "What did you say to her?"

"Does it really matter? I achieved what I set out to do. I got her to leave."

"Damn it!" Joanne hurled the phone back into its cradle. "Just tell me what the hell you said to her!!"

Mrs. Jefferson frowned. "Who do you think you're talking to young lady? I am your mother!"

"No, you're some crazed woman who has set out to destroy my whole life. Now tell me what you said to Maureen so I can go try to make this better!!"

"Don't you see baby, you can't. Well at the very least you won't want to. Not now that she remembers the way she treated you."

She suddenly felt the need to sit down. "What do you mean she remembers?"

"I took it upon myself to remind her of a few of her more, shall we say, charming personality traits."

"No you didn't."

"Oh yes I did. That whole amnesia thing was a crock anyway, Joanne. You're just too blinded by her and her lying ways to see it. She was pretending not to remember to stay with you. She realized what she was about to lose after that scene at the country club and did whatever it took to get her hooks into you again."

"No."

"Yes, baby." Mrs. Jefferson made her way to her, putting her hand on her cheek as soon as she did. "You know mommy's right."

"She's… You're…"

They both turned to see Maureen in the open doorway.

"I'm sorry, Jo." Carmen suddenly appeared behind her. "I tried to stop her but…"

"You two are together?" Maureen interrupted her, tears shining in her eyes.

Mrs. Jefferson smiled triumphantly. "Yes."

"No!!" Joanne pulled away from her and started across the room. "Maureen…"

"Don't." Maureen pointed at her to make her stop. "She said you would hate me. I didn't believe her, but she was right." Her tears started to fall. "She was right!"

"Maureen!" Joanne's heart stopped as her lover pushed past Carmen and rushed out of view.

"Let her go, dear."

Joanne looked from the hand her mother used to grip her arm up to the older woman's face. "I suggest you let go of me."

The cold steel in her voice shocked Mrs. Jefferson just enough to make her obey.

"I'm only going to say this one more time, _mother_." Joanne's voice dripped with hatred as she emphasized the word. "Stay the hell out of our lives! If you ever come near Maureen or I again I'll sue you so fast your head will spin! And don't think I'm not serious. I'm filing for a restraining order as soon as I find her!!"

"I'll start the paperwork for you." Carmen glared at the older woman as Joanne went back to grab her briefcase off her desk. "I tried to stop her but she got in a cab."

"I have to go." Joanne threw a glare over her shoulder. "Make sure she leaves without causing any more trouble."

Carmen nodded. "My pleasure." She gripped Joanne's shoulder. "I hope you find her."

"Me too." The tears she had been so successful at holding back suddenly filled her eyes as she walked away. "Me too."


	4. Chapter 4

When the cabbie asked her where she wanted to go she almost screamed at him to leave her alone. She was tired and hot from running and her brain felt like it was going to explode and all she wanted to do was curl up in Joanne's arm and trust her love to make the rest of the world go away. But she couldn't. Joanne was with her mother. And as much as it broke her heart to leave her standing there, Maureen couldn't take any more from Mrs. Jefferson. If she had succeeded in turning Joanne against her then her life was over, and that wasn't something she had the energy to face. So she gave the cabbie one of the only other addresses she knew… The one to Mark, Roger and Mimi's building.

They had barely pulled away from the curb when she started to wonder why she didn't just go back to the apartment. She had a key now. She could get in, get her stuff and be out of Joanne's life in a matter of minutes. The problem was she didn't want to be out of Joanne's life. She loved her. And she refused to believe that the woman she had spent the last two months with would suddenly turn her back on her.

That made her want to go back to Joanne's office to talk to her. Because when she stopped to think about it, it was pretty clear that her mother was there to pull the same shit with Joanne that she had with her. But going back meant the possibility of seeing Mrs. Jefferson again and she couldn't handle that. Not now, probably not ever. She was just starting to feel clear headed enough to talk to Joanne about what had been going on as far as her dreams went but she couldn't afford another meltdown like she had at the apartment. Feeling that out of control wasn't something she ever wanted to experience again.

She just hoped Joanne understood. The poor thing had put up with so much from her already. But Maureen had to keep telling herself that nothing could tear them apart. She would call Joanne as soon as she got to the loft and once they were together again they could work through this whole mess.

"All right lady, this is as far as I go."

She frowned when she heard the cabbie's voice. "Excuse me?"

"I said this is as far as I go." He looked at her in the rearview mirror. "My company doesn't like us to take fares to this part of town, but you seemed pretty upset so I didn't say anything. I'm not allowed to go any further though. If I do and something happens to the cab, it comes out of my pay."

"Oh." Great. Now how was she supposed to pay the fare? She had intended to beg some money from Mimi.

"Not that I would have taken you all the way even if I could. I absolutely despise this part of town. Nothing but lowlife scum and drug users. Bunch of lazy asses who don't wanna go get jobs and expect the rest of us to take care of them. I wouldn't give a shit if they all disappeared tomorrow."

Maureen clinched her jaw. Maybe the fare wouldn't be so hard to come by after all.

"Present company excluded, of course. You know, you really don't look like you belong here. Are you sure there's not somewhere else I could take you?"

"Oh no, this is definitely where I want to be." She opened her door to get out.

"Hold it!" The cabbie turned in his seat to look at her. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

"Not at all." She smiled at him, really laying on the charm. "As you can see, I'm not exactly carrying a purse." She gestured at the tennis shoes, sweat pants and tank top she was wearing. "But I have a friend who lives in that building right over there." She pointed to a random building across the street. "If you give me a minute, I'll be right back with your money."

"I don't know." He frowned.

"Aw, come on." She smiled again. "You can trust me."

He blushed. "All right. But hurry up." He tried to act like she wasn't having any effect on him. "I can't be sitting here all day."

"Two minutes. Tops." She climbed out of the car and walked nonchalantly across the street, throwing a little wave his direction as she headed toward the building. As soon as she reached the front entrance she turned again, flipped him off and took off down the alley next to the building.

A muffled, "Hey!" reached her ears as hurried down the alley, laughing. There was no way in hell he would find her now. Just like he wouldn't turn her in for not paying. Bone heads like him were too full of pride to admit that a little old thing like her could outsmart them.

For a second she felt bad for him. He was going to have to pay her fare out of his own pocket to appease whoever he worked for. What if he had a wife and kids at home he was trying to support? What if her little stunt cost them a meal?

But she just as quickly told herself to stop. It wasn't like she hurt anyone. Besides, the guy had it coming for jumping to conclusions about the people who lived in the neighborhood. Yes they weren't all saints, but they weren't all bad either. And if felt oddly liberating to know she had defended them by thumbing her nose at him in her own way.

She turned left at the next cross street, trusting instinct or memory or whatever it was to take her in the right direction. She couldn't explain it, but she loved it here. The look, the feel. Hell, she could even put up with the smell if she had to.

Ambiance. That's what Joanne would have called it. Just the right atmosphere.

"Maureen?"

She stopped when she heard the voice, realizing she was walking past a huge group of people. Had one of them actually spoken to her or was it just her imagination?

"It is you."

She watched a young woman push her way through the crowd, smiling.

"I can't believe you're here! The last time I talked to Mark he said he didn't think you'd be able to make it."

She frowned. "You know Mark?"

"Of course I do, silly. He's always down here filming." The girl looked around. "I thought he would be here today but I haven't seen him." She shrugged. "Maybe something else came up."

Maureen continued to look at the girl, wondering if she should tell her she had no idea who she was.

"Anyway, it's great that you came!! Having _the_ Maureen Johnson, queen of protests, at one of our gatherings is a real honor, let me tell you."

"What are you…"

Music suddenly filled the air, drowning out her voice.

"I better go!" The girl screamed as she leaned in close. "That's my cue!!"

Maureen watched her wade back into the crowd. Something told her she needed to keep walking but her interest was peaked. Were all these people really here to protest something? And if so, what?

She wandered into the throng, taking in the sites and sounds as she did. There were so many people, and none of them were paying much attention to what anyone else was doing. There was a group passing around a joint and another where each person had a bottle of alcohol they were drinking out of. She almost ran over the two men in front of her when they decided to partake in an impromptu make out session. But it wasn't until she reached the front of the crowd that she saw the banner, "Tolerance is key," flying over the young woman's head as she did some sort of lap dance on a huge stuffed toy panda bear. That was interesting in and of itself, but what she really waned to know was what people were supposed to be tolerating. There was too much going on to tell.

She was so caught up in trying to figure it out that she didn't hear or see the police cruisers pulling up. It wasn't until she saw a guy to her right decking a cop that she knew things were about to go bad. She tried to break away but the crowd tightened around her, pulling her in. She went with the tide, knowing if she didn't and she got knocked down she would be trampled.

Finally an opening appeared and she rushed toward it. She was almost home free when a cop stepped into her path.

"And where do you think you're going?"

"I…"

"That was a rhetorical question, stupid." The cop grabbed her, forcing her right arm behind her back.

"What are you doing?"

"Picking flowers." His voice dripped with sarcasm. "What do you think I'm doing? I'm taking you in."

She struggled to get free. "But I haven't done anything wrong."

"Right." He dragged the word out as he snagged her left arm, pulling it behind her back and securing it to her right with some sort of zip tie. "That's why you smell like booze and pot."

"Everyone here smells like booze and pot! Even you!"

"Look…" He turned her around to face him. "Hey, wait a minute. Aren't you that weirdo that had everyone mooing at one of these things not too long ago?"

Maureen frowned. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Hey Ernie." The cop yelled to one of his fellow officers. "Look who I got here. The moo with me lady!"

"No way." The other cop laughed.

All Maureen could do was roll her eyes as the cop took her by the arm and started to lead her to one of the cruisers. This was turning into the longest day ever.


	5. Chapter 5

Joanne sat on the couch, her head in her hands as she struggled to keep control of her emotions. Angel was puttering around in the kitchen, making them both something to eat. She would have rather been out looking for Maureen, but the drag queen insisted she bring her home and feed her before they continued searching together. She could have said no and gone on by herself, but it didn't seem fair to worry the other Bohos more than they already were. Not to mention she could us a little break.

It had been nearly four hours since Maureen ran out of her office. Four very long hours of looking for the woman she loved. In some ways she wanted to wring her neck for scaring her and in others she just wanted to take her in her arms and hold her close. Lord only knew what kind of bull shit her mother had spouted off to her. Mrs. Crenshaw was too upset to remember much of the conversation and she wasn't about to have another go round with her mother to see if she would tell her anything. So until she found Maureen she was in the dark.

Once again their little family of friends was being wonderful. Her call had actually connected with Mark and Roger's answering machine, filling them in enough to let them know what was going on. By the time she reached her apartment everyone was there, waiting to get a little more of the story before they started their hunt.

"JoJo?"

She looked up when she heard Angel's voice.

"There's a sandwich on the table for you. I'm going to use the little girl's room and then I'll join you."

"All right."

"And you better not just be sitting there staring at it either. I want at least two bites gone when I get back."

"Yes ma'am."

That earned her a half hearted grin as Angel headed to the restroom. It was pretty sad when even Angel's normally sunny disposition started to fade.

Joanne was almost to the dining room when the phone rang. She really didn't want to answer it for fear it was one of the others calling to say they still hadn't found anything. But what if they had? Or, better yet, what if it was Maureen?

She hurried back into the living room, getting to it just before their machine would have picked up. "Hello?"

"Is this a Miss…" Paper could be heard rattling. "Joanne Jefferson?"

"Yes, I'm Joanne Jefferson."

"This is Lieutenant Woodbridge with the NYPD."

Her heart sank. Phone calls from the cops were never a good thing.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to come down to the station to identify a Miss Maureen Johnson."

"I…" She swallowed hard, willing her voice to work. "Identify?"

"Yes ma'am. She was found in Alphabet City this afternoon."

Identify? Found? They were making it sound as if Maureen was… Her knees gave out, spilling her onto the couch.

"What the hell is wrong with you?! She's gonna think I'm dead you moron!!"

Breath she didn't know she was holding rushed from her lungs when she heard Maureen's voice.

"Jo, I'm fine! I need you to…"

She frowned when Maureen's voice was suddenly cut off. "Lieutenant?"

"Ow!" A new voice joined the fray. "She bit me!!"

"Come bail me out, Joanne!"

"You heard the woman." Lieutenant Woodbridge spoke over the arguing voices in the background. "She's at the station on Hudson."

"I'll be there soon." Joanne grinned as she hung up. Her Maureen was alive and well and biting police officers.

Her joy was short lived as she realized Maureen was in jail and she had no idea why. She ran for the front door yelling, "Angel, she's been arrested! I'm going to get her now!" as she left.

Angel came out of the bathroom, shaking her head as she looked around the empty apartment. "I swear I'm gonna lowjack them both."

"You didn't have to bite me."

"Get over it."

"But you bit me!"

Maureen rolled her eyes at the cop who had arrested her. "You put your hand over my mouth. Do you know how gross that is? I don't know where that thing's been."

"Yeah, well how do I know you don't have rabies?"

"You don't." She widened her eyes and barked at him.

"I hate when I get stuck with the smart asses."

"Me too."

The man shot her a look before returning to the inspection of his hand. His sulking made Maureen want to laugh but she was afraid they would stick her back in the holding cell if she did. And no offense to the others who were busted at the protest, but she wasn't in the mood to feel like a sardine again. That's why she hadn't said anything about the handcuffs they slapped on her when they came to get her for her phone call. Having her arms behind her back for this long wasn't very comfortable, but Joanne would be there to get her soon. She could live with it until then.

"Maureen?"

She looked up when she heard the all too familiar voice. "Jo."

"Baby." Joanne was at her side in an instant. "Are you all right?" She cupped Maureen's cheek.

"Yes. I…"

Joanne silenced her with a kiss.

"Oh, uh…" The cop wrinkled his nose as he watched their lip lock. "Who the hell are you?"

Maureen grinned as she pulled away. "She's my girlfriend."

"And her lawyer." Joanne glared at the cop. "Why is she handcuffed? Has she been violent?"

"Well, she did bite me."

"Because you put your hand over my mouth!" Maureen growled the words. "It's not like I go around biting people for shits and giggles."

"Yeah, well its procedure." The cop was quick to respond. "They're staying on until you've sprung her."

"That's what I'm here for." Joanne looked at Maureen. "We need to talk."

"I know, and I promise to tell you everything. Just as soon as you get me out of here."

"With pleasure." Joanne kissed the corner of her mouth.

"Stop that!" The cop looked like he was going to puke. "It's weird."

"Just show me where I pay her bail and you won't have to watch anymore." Joanne spoke up before Maureen could tell the cop off for being a jerk. She gave her love a 'behave yourself' look before following him across the room.

Maureen relaxed a little. She had been terrified that Joanne would come in, pay her bail and be done with her. But judging from the kiss they shared things were at least relatively all right between them.

"Hey!"

She jumped when someone nearby yelled, turning the best she could to see what was going on. Her eyes widened when she saw one of her fellow protestors with handcuffs dangling from one wrist, wrestling with one of the cops for his gun.

"Watch out! He's got my…"

"Shut up!" The protestor slammed the butt of the gun against the side of the cop's head, stunning him enough to push him down. "I'm not going to jail again. Do you hear me?! I'm not going back!!"

Time seemed to stand still as he pointed the gun at the lieutenant's desk. The same desk where Joanne stood.

"No!" Maureen's heart raced. "Joanne!!" The lawyer ignored her, too intent on telling the lieutenant off to pay attention to what was going on. Great. Leave it to Joanne to go into full blown lawyer mode when someone was pointing a gun at her.

She clinched her jaw. She would never get to the desk in time and there weren't any other cops around the shooter to stop him. So she did the only thing she could, she jumped out of her chair and rushed toward him.

Joanne half glanced toward her girlfriend when she heard her yell, doing a double take when she saw Maureen get out of her chair and half run, half stumble across the room, off balance thanks to the cuffs holding her arms behind her back. "Maureen?" She flinched when the sound of a gunshot filled the air just as Maureen slammed into a man. The cop who escorted her to the desk grabbed her, pulling her away from the desk as the lieutenant dove out of his chair. It took a second for what was happening to sink in. When it did her heart dropped to her toes. "Maureen!"

Someone tried to grab her arm but she evaded the hand and started across the room as more cops came running in.

"I've got the gun!" One of them waved the firearm over his head like a trophy.

"Shit!" Another knelt beside the downed pair. "Someone call a bus!"

"What's wrong?" The lieutenant's voice sounded in Joanne's ear.

"He shot her." The cop shook his head. "The son of a bitch shot her!"


	6. Chapter 6

_The son of a bitch shot her… Shot her… Shot her… _

The words played like a broken record through Joanne's mind as she finished her trek across the room. She tried to elbow her way past the officers in front of her but they weren't moving. They had formed a wall around Maureen and the man and she couldn't see a damn thing.

"Do they make you take classes on how to be overly dramatic at the academy or something? Because if so your teacher deserves some major kudos."

A weight lifted off Joanne's shoulders when she heard Maureen's voice.

"Get up asshole!" An officer dragged the shooter to his feet.

"But I…" The man looked around wildly. "I didn't mean to do it!"

"Right." Another officer joined in. "Cooper there just gave you his gun voluntarily."

The man shook his head. "No, I…"

"Yeah. And you were just standing there, minding your own business when the moo lady…"

"My name is Maureen."

The man frowned at the cop. "Why would your parents name you Maureen? Isn't that kind of girlie?"

"Not me, her." He gestured toward Maureen with his head. "Never mind!" He shoved him. "Move it. It's back to lock-up for you."

"Joanne? Where's Joanne? Joanne?!"

"Move!" She finally shoved her way between two of the cops, motivated by the panic she heard in her lover's voice.

"Thank God!" Maureen spoke when she saw her. "I thought he…"

Joanne's eyes bugged out of her head. "You're bleeding!"

The cop kneeling next to Maureen nodded. "That tends to happen when you get shot."

"I'm fine." Maureen was quick to downplay what he was saying. She grimaced as she tried to sit up. "OK, maybe fine isn't the word I'm looking for."

"I thought you said he was being dramatic!" Joanne dropped to her knees beside her to help her.

"He was. He made it sound like that psycho blew my head off or something. It's a scratch. The bullet just grazed my arm."

"Oh, is that all."

Her sarcasm wasn't lost on Maureen. "It's not a big deal."

"I'll be the judge of that." Joanne cringed as she looked at her lover's left arm. "You're losing a lot of blood, Mo."

"It could have been worse." The cop frowned when Maureen glared at him.

"Here." Another officer handed Joanne a first aid kit. "An ambulance is on the way."

"Grand." Maureen hissed as Joanne tore open a gauze pad and pressed it to her arm.

"I'm sorry, baby." Joanne raised her eyebrow at the cop who was still beside them. "Can you get your thumb out of your ass and uncuff her?!"

"Hey." Maureen tried to catch her eye. "Everything's all right, Jo. I'm OK."

"Stop saying that! You're bleeding, Maureen. That doesn't equal OK in my book." She shook her head, trying to hold back the tears threatening to fill her eyes. "What were you thinking, running at that guy like that?!"

"He was pointing a gun in your direction. What was I supposed to do, let him take a couple of pot shots at you? And in my own defense, I tried to warn you but you were too busy yelling at the lieutenant to hear me. Not that I don't appreciate you going to bat for me." She gave the guy an appreciative look as he unlocked the cuffs before leaving them alone. "Thanks. Ow!" She made a face as she tried to move her injured arm. "OW!"

"Here. Let me help." Joanne cradled Maureen's arm in her free hand, keeping pressure on the wound as she helped her pull it around to rest in her lap.

"Thanks." Maureen closed her eyes as a wave of pain hit her.

"Are you going to pass out?!"

She couldn't help but grin at the concern in Joanne's voice. "Wouldn't dream of it."

"I can't decide if that was the bravest thing I've ever seen or one of the stupidest." The lieutenant stood over them.

"Let's go with brave, all right? I was trying to save the girl. If I was a guy that would make me a hero."

"But you're not a guy." The cop who arrested her spoke up. "Unless you're the man in your relationship or something." He frowned. "Are you?"

"Stereotype much?" Maureen sucked in a breath as Joanne mopped at the blood spilling down her arm with another gauze pad.

"I know it hurts, but I've got to see how bad it is." She swallowed hard when she caught sight of the deep gash running diagonally across Maureen's bicep. "Ouch."

"Huh." Maureen looked at it too. "No wonder my arm feels like its on fire."

"Would it make a difference to know we're dropping the charges against you?"

Joanne shot the lieutenant a look. "I think that kind of went without saying."

"Right." The lieutenant looked uncomfortable. "Come on guys, get back to work. I don't think we all need to stand here gawking."

Maureen's arresting officer lingered as everyone else started to move away. "I gotta say, that took some guts."

"Yeah, well," Maureen shrugged her right shoulder. "No one messes with my woman."

He shook his head. "On that note, I've got to be going."

"I'd say it was nice meeting you, but that would be a lie."

Another cop nearby laughed. "Too bad she's into chicks, Phillips. She's perfect for you."

"Shut up!" He shoved the guy as he walked away.

Maureen smiled until she saw the look on Joanne's face. "Are you mad at me?"

"No." Joanne shook her head. "I just…" She met Maureen's eyes. "I still can't believe you threw yourself at a man with a gun for me."

"Yeah well you've gone a couple of rounds with your mom for me."

"That's hardly the same thing."

"I don't know about that. I'm pretty sure her mouth could be considered a deadly weapon."

Joanne sighed. "I'm sorry she…"

"No." Maureen cut her off. "I won't have you apologizing for her."

"But…"

"What did I just say? You haven't done anything to be sorry for."

"Hello ladies."

They both jumped, shocked to find a paramedic had joined them.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." He smiled as he crouched down beside them. "How about if I take a look?"

Joanne relinquished her hold on Maureen's arm.

"Hey." Maureen used her right hand to grip Joanne's hand. "We're not through discussing this."

Joanne stood up, getting out of the way as the other paramedic came in with a stretcher. She wasn't surprised to find her blood covered hands were shaking as she watched them work on Maureen.


	7. Chapter 7

"Why do I have to wear this stupid thing?"

"Maureen, we've been over this a million times."

"Well can we make it a million and one then? Cause I still don't understand."

Joanne sighed, telling herself not to get frustrated. The doctor warned her that the shot he gave Maureen for pain would knock her for a loop and he wasn't lying.

"You just got stitches in your arm and the doctor doesn't want you using it for a few days."

"But slings are so bulky." Maureen whined. "Not to mention uncomfortable. It's chaffing the back of my neck already."

"Tough, you're wearing it."

"But…"

"Get over it." Joanne drowned her out, tightening her grip around the diva's waist when she swayed. The drug not only made her loopy, it made her unsteady on her feet. "You're going to have a bad enough scar without ripping your stitches out."

"I'm gonna have a scar?" Maureen grinned. "Cool."

"Scars aren't cool."

"Sure they are. I can show it off down at the Life and tell everyone I got it from being shot inside a police station. I mean, how many people can say they've been shot _inside_ a police station? Not to mention the whole romantic aspect of it. They could make a Lifetime movie about us."

"Yeah, I'm sure they're going to be knocking our door down tomorrow."

Maureen didn't notice her sarcasm. "Who would you want to play you?"

Joanne frowned. "What?"

"You know, what actress would you want to play you in our movie? Personally I would want someone unknown. It could be her big break and then someday, when she's making movies with Brangelina I can point at the screen and say once upon a time she was me."

"That sounds nice but I don't think they would consult us on casting decisions." Joanne breathed a sigh of relief when they finally reached their apartment. "Look, Honeybear, we're home. Just a few more seconds and I can tuck you into bed."

"Are you going to join me?"

"I don't think that's such a good idea."

"Why not?"

"Because you've had a long day, Maureen. You're hurt and need your rest."

"No, what I need is this…" Maureen moved surprisingly quick, forcing Joanne back against the wall outside their door. Before the lawyer could react she covered her lips in an intense kiss.

Joanne didn't pull away, she deepened the kiss, needing the contact just as much as Maureen. That's how Collins found them when he opened the door. He grinned, motioning for Angel to join him.

"Look at that."

"They're so cute." Angel put her hand over her mouth.

"I know." Collins nodded. "But who would have thought Maureen had competition in being a horn ball from Joanne?"

Angel grinned. "Well, you know what they say about the quiet ones."

Maureen groaned when she heard their whispered words. "Go away!" She leaned in for another kiss.

"Mo!" Joanne put her hand against the diva's chest. "Don't be rude."

"But…" Maureen sighed when she saw that Joanne had no intention of continuing their make out session. "Fine." She started to back away and stumbled.

"Whoa!" Collins hurried forward to catch her.

"I'm fine." Maureen tried to avoid his grip, making her even more unsteady.

Luckily Angel had followed Collins and managed to slip her arm around her waist. "Wanna dance?"

Maureen furrowed her brow. "What?"

Collins shared a look with Joanne. "Happy drugs?"

"Oh yeah." Joanne raised her eyebrows. "You should have seen me trying to get her out of the car."

"I can only imagine." He put his hand on the small of the diva's back. "Come on, Maureen." He and Angel steered her into the apartment. "There's a spot on the couch with your name on it."

"Someone's been writing on the couch? Joanne's gonna be pissed."

Mimi looked up from the magazine she was reading as they walked in. "Why is Joanne pissed?"

"I'm not." Joanne followed them inside, shutting the door behind her. "That's the pain killer talking."

"Ah." Mimi nodded, wincing when she saw Maureen's arm was in a sling. "Does it hurt?"

"Not if her pain killer is talking." Angel answered.

"Hey Angel." Maureen smiled.

Angel returned the smile, amused that she was just now acknowledging her. "Hi Mo."

Her smile faded when she saw Mark and Roger sitting on the couch. "Are we having a party I didn't know about?"

"No, we just hung around to make sure you were all right." Mark answered.

"That and you have better food here than we do at the loft." Roger grinned as he ate another chip out of the bowl in his lap. "How's our little hero?"

"Peachy." Maureen turned to give Joanne a pathetic look, forcing Collins and Angel to scramble to keep up with her. "Will you at least come sit with me?"

"Sure." Joanne was quick to agree, knowing her girlfriend wouldn't settle down unless she was with her. "Uh, guys?" She looked at Mark and Roger as she reached the couch.

"Oh, sorry." Mark immediately got up to make room for them. Roger, on the other hand, simply slid down, being sure not to spill any of his chips. "Hey." Mark frowned.

"Don't worry about it. There's plenty of room." Joanne barely had a chance to sit down before Maureen pulled away from their friends and curled against her left side. "Comfortable?" She kissed Maureen on top of the head as she nodded.

"So that's what it looks like to get shot, huh?" Roger regarded Maureen. "It doesn't seem so bad to me." He swallowed hard when he felt everyone looking at him. "Not exactly Mr. Tact tonight am I?"

"Hardly." Mimi shook her head at him.

"She got really lucky." Joanne stepped in before an argument could start, playing with Maureen's hair as she spoke. "If that guy had pulled the trigger even a second sooner the bullet probably would have gone through her shoulder. Instead it grazed her bicep. The doctor said it will be sore for a while, but there's not permanent damage to the muscle."

"And then he gave me a zillion stitches." Maureen piped in.

Mark paled at the thought. "A zillion?"

"More like thirty." Joanne clarified. "Luckily she got an intern who wants to be a plastic surgeon. He used some kind of special stitches to help with scarring. She'll still have one but he said it shouldn't be as bad."

"Scars are awesome." Roger didn't pay attention to anyone looking at him this time. "They make for some interesting conversations."

"See, I told you." Maureen snuggled closer to Joanne.

"So other than the stitches, she's all right?" Collins' voice was filled with concern.

"Easy papa." Angel teased him, knowing how deeply his feelings ran for the diva. "I'm sure they wouldn't have let her come home if it wasn't safe."

Joanne nodded. "A few days in a sling and a weeks worth of antibiotics to insure against infection."

Maureen mumbled. "Damn horse pills."

"Horse pills you'll gladly take every day even if I have to come over and shove them down your throat." Collins said it with a grin but meant every word.

"I'd like to see you try."

"Don't go starting something you can't finish, Honeybear. I'd hate to have to mix it up with Angel because you picked a fight with Collins."

Angel grinned. "Amen chica."

"I took on a man with a gun." Maureen yawned. "I think I can handle Collins."

Her words cast a shadow over everyone's mood.

"I bet you were terrified." Mimi blanched when she realized she had spoken out loud. "Sorry."

"No, I'm more than willing to admit I was scared." Joanne assured her.

The dancer shuddered. "I don't know what I'd do if I ever saw Roger get shot."

"You'll never have to worry about it." Mark's tone was matter of fact.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Roger popped another chip in his mouth.

"You would never put himself between her and someone with a gun."

Roger frowned mid chew. "Hey!"

"Oh come on, Roger. I've known you long enough to be able to say you're not the self sacrificing type." Mark smirked. "It might mess up your hair."

Roger's frown deepened as everyone laughed. "You're a prick."

Mark's smirk became a smile. "I might be a prick but at least I lightened things up."

"I could see Collins being my hero." Angel batted her eyelashes at her lover.

Collins winked. "You know it baby."

"Now that I believe." Mark nodded.

"Guys, I think it's time for us to go." Everyone followed Mimi's gaze to Maureen, who had dozed off in Joanne's arms.

"Aw, look at our little sleeping beauty." Angel gushed.

"Please don't call her that." Collins sighed. "I think we had more than enough of her sleeping beauty imitation a few months ago."

'Too true." Roger agreed. "Besides, Maureen is too raunchy for Disney. Unless you count Cruella Deville. That chick gave off a major dominatrix vibe if you ask me. But I really couldn't see Mo with black and white hair."

"Or wearing fur." Mark pointed out. "Leather maybe but never fur."

"Guys!" Mimi growled. "Let's go."

"She's right." Collins backed her up. "It's been a long day."

"And we can always come back tomorrow."

"Yes you can." Joanne agreed with Angel.

"All right, we'll see you then." Angel started to give her a hug but stopped, not wanting to disturb Maureen. "Goodnight."

"Night." Joanne gripped her hand before she could walk away. "And thanks for all your help today. I don't know what we'd do without you guys."

"No thanks needed, Jo." Collins looked at Maureen. "That's what family is for."

"Speak for yourself." Roger spoke as he stood up, putting his bowl on the coffee table. "I'm gonna start charging every time she takes off."

"Why don't you just write a song about it and make a million dollars?" was Mark's snide comeback.

"If you two wake Mo I'll kick both your asses." Mimi shooed them toward the door. "I feel like the mother of a couple of two year olds."

"You're hotter than any mother I've ever seen." Roger snaked an arm around her waist.

"Buttering me up isn't going to work either." Mimi shoved him away. "Now go. And don't be arguing on the way to the elevator. You'll wake half the building." She waved as she went out the door. "Night, Jo."

"Goodnight." Joanne grinned. "Looks like she's got her hands full."

"Those two have been at it ever since Roger played with Mark's camera earlier and almost broke it." Angel rolled her eyes.

"We'll help her get them home." Collins took Angel's hand in his. "See you tomorrow Joanne. Give her a kiss for me when you tuck her in."

"Can do." Joanne waved goodbye as they left, waiting until the door was shut to look down at Maureen. She wished she could just untangle herself from her and leave her to sleep, but she couldn't.

"Mo?" She ran her fingers through her hair again. "Wake up."

"Hmm?" Maureen furrowed her brow.

"Come on, Honeybear. It's time for bed."

"Stay here."

"No, you need to sleep in bed. Come on."

"You too?"

Joanne chuckled. Leave it to Maureen to be stubborn even when she was completely out of it. "I'll think about it."

"K." Maureen started to sit up but cried out in pain.

"Slow down." Joanne frowned. "Let me help you."

Maureen snuggled against her side again. "Wanna stay here."

"I know, but you won't be comfortable. Come on." She carefully helped her sit up, giving her a second to adjust before putting her arm around her waist and pulling her to her feet.

"Dizzy."

"That's all right. I've got you."

"Glad."

"Me too, baby. Me too."

They somehow managed to make it to the bedroom without either one of them running into a wall. "Here we go." Joanne sat her on the bed. "Should we change your clothes?"

"No."

"All right. Remember that when you complain about how dirty you feel in the morning." She helped Maureen lay down, arranging the extra pillows they normally didn't use as a makeshift wall to keep her from accidentally rolling onto her left side. "Now, let's get that sling off and…"

"Leave it." Maureen groaned.

"Are you sure?" Joanne grinned as she nodded. "All right then." She brushed hair out of her girlfriend's face before kissing her on the cheek. "Goodnight, Honeybear. I love you."

"Love you too." Maureen fought to keep her eyes open but lost the battle.

Joanne sat on the edge of the bed watching her. "You've got to stop scaring me like this, Maureen."

"Sorry Pookie."

She froze, not entirely sure she had heard her correctly. "What did you call me?"

"Nothing." Maureen's response was barely audible.

Joanne stayed where she was for a moment, her brow furrowed. Maybe she had been hearing things. After all, Maureen hadn't used the nickname since their argument at the country club. And the diva would have told her if she started to remember things, wouldn't she?

She told herself to stop being ridiculous as she stood to leave the room. Of course Maureen would have told her. What reason could she have not to?


	8. Chapter 8

She came around slowly, relishing the feel of her lover's arm around her waist. This was what life was all about. Lazily waking up next to the one you loved.

"Morning."

She smiled at the sleep filled voice. "Morning yourself." She rolled over, screaming when she saw Mark laying there. "Mark?! What are you doing here?!"

"Jesus! Give me a heart attack why don't you." He frowned. "And what do you mean what am I doing here? I live here."

"What?!" She started to get up but realized she was naked. "Where are my clothes?!"

"In here, in the living room." Mark grinned. "I'm pretty sure your panties are in Roger's room. You said something about wanting him to live vicariously through us."

Maureen grabbed the sheet, pulling it off of Mark to reveal he was naked too. "Ew!" She turned her head as she scrambled off the bed, wrapping the sheet around her as she went.

"Hey, I didn't hear you complaining last night." He stretched. "As a matter of fact, you said I was the best I've ever been."

"Shut up!" She looked around, realizing she didn't recognize anything about the room she was in. "Where am I?"

Mark frowned. "In our room."

"Our room?" She echoed his words. "We don't have a room!"

"Sure we do. You used to share with Collins, but when we hooked up you started sleeping in here."

"We're not hooked up!"

"Well whatever you want to call it." He frowned. "Are you feeling all right? You're acting a little weird." He got up. "Do you want some water or something?"

She back pedaled when he started toward her. "Don't!"

He raised his eyebrows. "All right. Geez. No more of whatever that was we drank last night though. The bottle is around here somewhere. We'll have to keep it so we don't make that mistake again." He grinned. "I guess that's what we get for spending what little we had on the first thing we saw, huh?"

"Where's Joanne?!"

"Joanne?" His looked confused. "Who the hell is Joanne?"

"My girlfriend!"

"You're girl…" The word died on his lips as he chuckled. "Now I know we're not getting any more of that stuff."

"I'm not drunk or hung over you idiot! Just tell me where Joanne is!!"

"I would if I could, but I have no idea who you're talking about."

"Joanne! Joanne Jefferson!" Maureen growled. "She's a lawyer!"

"Wait a minute. Are you talking about the lawyer we met the other night at that bar? The one you were…" You could see the light bulb appear over his head. "I knew you flirted with her but I can't believe you're cheating on me! With a girl!!" He gestured wildly with his hands as he started to pace. "That's just wrong on so many levels!"

Maureen was trying not to look at him but he was moving around too much for her to have much success. "Can you please put some clothes on?"

"What was last night, pity sex because you knew you were going to tell me you have a…" He clinched his jaw. "I can't even bring myself to say it!" He grabbed a pair of underwear off the floor, shaking them at her as he spoke. "This is bullshit, Maureen! Complete and utter bullshit!"

She covered her eyes. "Put those on already!"

"I've put up with a lot from you, but I won't put up with this." He finally pulled the underwear on. "I want you out of here!" He stormed across the room and threw open the door. "Do you hear me, OUT!"

Her eyes shot open as she sat up. She swallowed hard to wet her dry throat as she took in her surroundings. She was in her room. Her real room. The one she shared with Joanne.

She flopped back down on her pillow. It was just another stupid dream. At least she hoped it was a dream and not a memory. Mark was a nice guy and all, but he really wasn't her type. At least he wasn't her type now. But who was to say he wasn't her type before? Had they really been a couple at one point?

"Did you not hear me? I said I want you out!"

Maureen jumped when she heard Joanne's angry words. She looked around again, relief washing over her when she realized the lawyer wasn't in the room with her. But if she wasn't yelling at her, who was she yelling at?

She climbed out of bed and made it down the hall in time to see Mrs. Jefferson follow Joanne into the living room.

"Joanne…"

"No, Mom! I already told you I don't want to hear anything you have to say!"

"But I know we can work through this if you just listen to me." Mrs. Jefferson's face hardened when she noticed Maureen. "If it isn't the bane of my existence."

Joanne turned to see what she was looking at. "Maureen, go back in the bedroom."

Maureen swallowed hard, determined not to let Joanne deal with her mother alone this time. "I think I…"

"Maureen, please. I've got this." Joanne cut her off.

"Let her stay, Joanne." Mrs. Jefferson's voice was cold. "After all, she's the cause of all our problems. Why not let her see the way she's destroyed our relationship?"

"That's enough." Joanne glared at her. "I won't have you attacking her again."

"More like you don't want her knowing the truth. The rest of you walk on egg shells around her, acting like you might damage the poor little thing if you say too much. But I know what you're really doing. You're keeping her in the dark. You like this new Maureen so much better than the old one that you're doing everything you can to make sure she doesn't remember!"

Maureen frowned. Was Mrs. Jefferson right? Were the others keeping things from her because they liked her better with amnesia? Not that she would blame them if they did. From what she may or may not have remembered so far she didn't like the old her much either.

"Shut up!! I said I wanted you out and I meant it! Get out!!"

"So this it?" Mrs. Jefferson looked at her daughter. "You're really choosing her over your family?"

"She is my family." Joanne went to stand next to Maureen, gripping the diva's hand in her own. "She's my everything."

Maureen squeezed her hand, too overcome by the intensity of her words to say anything.

"I'm sorry that you can't accept that." Joanne looked at her mother sadly. "Maybe some day you will."

"No." Mrs. Jefferson shook her head. "I can safely say I won't."

"Then we don't have anything more to say."

"Are you sure that's how you feel?" Mrs. Jefferson furrowed her brow. "How you really feel?"

"How many more ways can I say it?!" Joanne sighed. "I'm with Maureen. If you can't accept that, then you're no longer welcome in my life."

"Then I'm the one who's sorry." Mrs. Jefferson reached into her purse. "Because I can't let this happen. You're my baby girl, Joanne." She pulled out a gun. "And I'm not about to let trash like her come between us!"

Maureen closed her eyes as Mrs. Jefferson raised the gun and pulled the trigger several times, knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that her life was over. When she didn't fell any pain after a few seconds she opened her eyes, shocked to find Joanne standing between her and her mother.

"No." Realization had her shaking her head. "No!!"

She caught Joanne as her knees gave way, the sudden change in weight driving them both to the floor. "Joanne?" Tears blurred her vision when she saw the front of her lover's shirt was soaked in blood.

"Maureen?" Joanne gasped her name.

"Shh. Don't talk. Just…" Maureen's whole body shook. "You're going to be fine. I'm going to get you to the hospital and you're going to be fine."

"Don't…" Blood spilled from the corner of Joanne's mouth as she coughed. "Think so."

"Yes you will!" Maureen argued with her.

"Mo." Joanne gripped one of the arms holding her. "I…" She coughed again. "I love you."

"I love you too." Her heart broke as Joanne's body went limp. "Joanne?" She sobbed her lover's name but there was no reply. "Joanne?!" She felt for a pulse but there wasn't one. "No!" She gathered the woman close, her tears flowing in a never ending stream down her cheeks. "NO!!"

She was right, her life was over.


	9. Chapter 9

"Joanne?!"

She jumped, knocking the paperwork she had been working on off the table. OK, so maybe working on wasn't quite right. That's what her intention had been when she grabbed her briefcase and set up shop in the dining room, but the day must have caught up with her because at some point she fell asleep. She frowned as she pulled a sticky note off her cheek.

"No!"

She jumped again, the sticky note flying from her hand as she stood up so fast she sent her chair skidding across the floor. It took her sleep addled mind a second to realize the scream had come from the bedroom. "Maureen?"

"NO!!"

"Maureen?!" She hurried down the hall, pushed open the bedroom door and turned on the light to find her lover thrashing around on the bed. She made a beeline for her, shocked to see Maureen was drenched in sweat.

"Mo, baby, wake up." She frowned when Maureen's eyes stayed closed. Normally she was a moderately light sleeper. Of course it was hard to tell what the pain killers were doing to her. "Maureen?" She gripped her right shoulder as she sat on the edge of the bed next to her. "Wake up!"

Maureen popped up like a jack-in-the-box, her chest heaving as another strangled cry passed her lips. She instantly shied away from Joanne, shrinking back against the headboard and drawing her knees up to her chest the best she could.

"Maureen?" Joanne tried to touch her.

"Don't!" Maureen scooted even further away, hitting her left arm on the headboard in the process. Her face folded in pain as she clinched her jaw to keep from crying out.

Instinct had Joanne reaching for her again.

"I said don't!" Tears streamed down Maureen's face, her breath hitching in her chest.

"All right." Joanne made a show of holding up her hands. "I won't touch you."

"You sound like her."

Joanne furrowed her brow. "Who?"

"And look like her." More tears spilled from Maureen's eyes. "I can even smell her perfume."

"Maureen, what are you talking about?"

"But you're not real." Maureen shook her head. "You're not real because she's gone." She sobbed. "She's gone!"

"Who's gone? And what do you mean I'm not real? I'm sitting right here, aren't I?"

"No."

The lost, defeated look in Maureen's eyes was more than she could take. "Yes I am. See?" She put her hand over hers.

"No!" Maureen pulled away. "You can't be. You… You died!" She breathed heavily. "In my arms." She laid down on her right side, curling into a ball, her voice full of disbelief. "You died in my arms."

Joanne had absolutely no idea what to do. Maureen could be a diva sometimes, but she had never been hysterical like this before. Why did she keep telling her she was dead? And what was up with the whole not wanting to be touched thing? How was she supposed to sit there and watch her girlfriend fall apart without offering some kind of support?

She couldn't.

"Maureen?" She swallowed hard. "Baby?" She laid down facing her. "It's all right. It's just me."

Maureen looked at her through swollen eyes. "Jo?"

She breathed a sigh of relief. "Yeah, baby."

"Oh God, Joanne." Maureen threw herself at her.

She caught her, trying to be as careful of her arm as she could. "It's all right." Her heart broke as Maureen clung to her, prompting her to tighten her grip. "I'm here." She rubbed circles on the diva's back in the hopes it would help calm her down. "I'm not going anywhere."

"But you did."

She frowned at the muffled words. "What?"

"You did." Maureen pulled back just enough to look at her. "You died in my arms, Jo." She drew a ragged breath. "You told me you loved me and then you died."

"Oh baby." Joanne pulled her close again. "It was just a dream."

"It seemed real."

"I know. But dreams are funny that way. When you were in your coma I had some pretty intense dreams that you died."

Maureen sniffled. "You did?"

"Oh yeah. Every time I closed my eyes."

"That's awful."

"It was. But then I would wake up and you were there. And even though you were unconscious it made me feel better."

"Being in your arms makes me feel better."

"I'm glad, but I bet telling me what happened would make you feel even better."

"No." Maureen shook her head. "I can't."

"Yes you can." Joanne waited for a response but none came. "All right, I'll help you out. You keep saying I died. How did it happen?"

"She… I can't."

"Yes you can, Honeybear." Joanne reassured her as she loosened her grip so she could look at her.

"She killed you."

"Who?"

"Your mother."

"What?!" Joanne mentally kicked herself when Maureen flinched. "Sorry, I didn't mean to…"

Maureen interrupted her. "You were arguing about me again and you told her you were with me whether she liked it or not and she said she didn't and you said that was too bad, that she could just stay out of your life then and she said she couldn't and pulled a gun out of her purse and pointed it at me but you stepped between us and she shot you instead."

Joanne started rubbing her back again. "Breathe."

"And you died." Maureen's voice broke. "I was holding you in my arms and you told me you loved me and then you died." She buried her head against Joanne's chest. "I lost you."

"Shh. You didn't lose me, I'm right here." She held her close, her mind reeling. What the hell had her mother said to Maureen to traumatize her so? Part of her wanted to go to her parents' house right that second to tell her off. But Maureen obviously needed her. And Maureen came first.

"You know what this is don't you?" She barely felt Maureen shaking her head. "It's this whole day all wrapped up into one crazy dream. Take my mother confronting you here and then me at my office, add the whole thing at the police station and toss in the shot the doctor gave you and you have the ingredients for one first class nightmare."

Maureen didn't say anything, just snuggled closer.

"But that's all it was. A nightmare." She ran her fingers through Maureen's hair. "I'm fine and you're safe." She kissed the top of her girlfriend's head.

"I love you."

Joanne grinned at the whispered words. "I love you too."

"And we're not opening the door for your mother."

"She's not going to bother you again, Mo. I won't let her."

Maureen pulled back to look at her. "Please promise me you won't get between us. Let her say or do what she wants with me, I don't care."

"Maureen…"

"No! She shot you, Joanne. I watched you die!"

"That was a dream, Maureen!"

"But it could happen! Anyone can get their hands on a gun nowadays!"

"If either of us has the right to tell the other not to get near someone with a gun it's me. You're the one who got shot today. You're the one who could have died!" Joanne was shocked to find she had tears in her eyes. "You have no idea what it's like to watch the woman you love putting herself in harms way like that."

"Yes I do. It might have been a dream, but it felt pretty damn real."

"There's a big difference."

"Yeah." Maureen sat up. "You died and I got a scratch on my arm."

"Thirty stitches doesn't constitute a scratch. And stop saying I died! You're the one who did that too."

"Did what?"

"Died!" Joanne sat up too, only staying on the bed for a second before standing to pace around the room. "At the country club."

"And you saved my life!"

"So!"

"So that's what I was doing today! You literally snatched me from the jaws of death, Jo! Putting myself between you and that guy at the station only seemed fair!"

"That's why you did it? Because you wanted to even the score as far as saving lives went?"

"Of course not! I did it because I love you and want to keep you safe!"

"And that's why I'll always put myself between you and anyone who tries to hurt you. Especially my mother. I love you with all my heart, Maureen. I can't stand the thought of anything happening to you!"

Silence reigned for what seemed like an eternity.

"Do you realize that we're arguing because we love each other so much?" Maureen chuckled.

Joanne shook her head. "Only you would think something like this is funny."

"And that's why you love me." She yawned. "Can you believe I'm still tired?"

"Yes. I keep trying to tell you you had a long day but you refuse to listen."

Maureen yawned again. "Will you stay with me?"

"I don't know…"

"You've had just as long a day as I have." She laid down. "And I'll hold you so you don't have to worry about bumping my arm."

"Speaking of which, how does it feel? You hit it pretty hard on the headboard earlier."

"Ask me again in the morning." Maureen patted the bed. "Come on."

Joanne looked at her for a minute before crawling in next to her. "How can I resist a woman in a sling?"

"Don't get used to it. This damn thing is coming off tomorrow."

"No, that damn thing is staying on for two days just like the doctor said."

"But I…" She cut herself off with a yawn.

"Shut up." Joanne cuddled against her, putting her head on Maureen's right shoulder to avoid the arm strapped against the diva's chest.

"I know this isn't how we normally make up, but give me a couple of days since you won't let me take this stupid thing off. Then I'll be back up to snuff and we can…" She yawned. "You know."

Joanne frowned. How did Maureen know how they made up? Tonight was their first argument since their commitment celebration. "What do you mean this isn't how we normally make up?"

"Hmmm?" Was Maureen's sleepy reply.

She seriously thought about pushing the issue but decided against it. Maureen was exhausted and, truth be told, so was she. Neither one of them was up to going at it again. But the whole how we make up comment combined with the Pookie earlier meant they were having a serious conversation tomorrow.

"Nothing." She looped her arm around Maureen's waist. "Go to sleep."

"K." Maureen nestled her cheek against the top of Joanne's head. "Love you."

Joanne smiled. "I love you too, Honeybear." She was so comfortable her eyes were already drifting shut.


	10. Chapter 10

Joanne yawned as she opened her eyes, giving her body a good stretch before she realized that something was missing. Maureen wasn't in bed. She frowned and looked at the alarm clock, shocked to see it was already after ten. No wonder the diva was up. She had slept half the day away already.

She climbed out of bed, stretching again as she made her way out of the room and down the hallway toward the living room. "Maureen?" She grinned when she saw her standing at the window, looking out at the city. She stopped, drinking in her beauty for a moment before going to join her. "Good morning."

Maureen leaned back against her as she wrapped an arm around her waist. "Morning."

"What are you doing?" Joanne trailed tender kisses up her neck.

"Nothing much. But I know what we could both be doing right now if I wasn't being forced to wear this stupid sling."

Joanne raised her eyebrows, resisting the urge to ask if her lover got up on the wrong side of the bed. "Did you eat?"

"No."

"Want me to fix you something?"

Maureen shook her head. "I'm really not hungry."

"Is your arm hurting?" She felt her lover sigh. "Hey, you're the one who told me to ask you again this morning."

"It's all right."

"Maureen?"

"Fine, it hurts." Maureen winced as she pulled away from her and slowly made her way over to the couch to sit down. "Actually I hurt all over. Does that make you feel better?"

"Of course not." Joanne followed her. "But if you're hurting that bad maybe you should take some of the pain medicine the doctor sent home with you."

"So I can have a nightmare about your mother coming after me with a machete and you getting hacked to pieces?" Maureen shook her head. "No thanks."

"Hey." Joanne sat down next to her. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing."

"Obviously that's not true."

"What do you mean 'obviously?' Are you telling me I've never woken up grumpy before?" Maureen sighed and closed her eyes. "I'm sorry. I don't know why I'm being such a bitch."

"I think you do."

"There you go again." Maureen looked at her. "Stop being so cryptic and just say what's on your mind."

"All right." Joanne turned to face her. "Something's been bothering you lately and I let it slide because I didn't want to push the issue. But we have an agreement. We said we would talk to each other. So I'm calling you out." She looked into Maureen's eyes. "Talk to me." The panic she saw in those brown orbs caught her off guard. "Mo?"

The diva tried to avoid her gaze for a moment before blurting out, "I've been having dreams," like it was something to be ashamed of.

"You mean like the one you had last night?"

"Kind of but not exactly."

Joanne frowned. "What does that mean?"

"I…" Maureen fidgeted. "I think I've been remembering things when I'm asleep."

"What?!" Joanne looked at her in disbelief. "For how long?"

"About a week. And before you ask, I didn't say anything because I wasn't sure what was going on."

"That would explain calling me Pookie and the making up comment."

It was Maureen's turn to frown. "What?"

"I can't believe you, Maureen." Joanne ignored her as she rocketed off the couch. "We're supposed to be getting through this together, remember? How am I supposed to help you if you don't tell me what's going on?" She stopped pacing to look at her again. "Unless you don't trust me enough to share. Is that it?" Tears threatened to fill her eyes. "You didn't think you could tell me?"

"That's not it at all!" Maureen glowered.

"Then why did you keep me in the dark?" She waited for a response but none came. "Why, Maureen?!"

"Because I can't stand what I've been seeing!" She clinched her jaw. "They're not even complete. It's just these bits and pieces and snippets of us yelling and screaming and you crying and me walking away and…" She shook her head. "Is that how our relationship was? Am I remembering? You'd know better than me."

Joanne was at a complete loss for words.

Maureen half heartedly chuckled at her silence. "So your mom was right."

That got the lawyer's attention. "What?"

"I really shouldn't blame her you know. She just confirmed some things for me."

Joanne's heart sank, remembering how her mother gloated about pointing out Maureen's less charming personality traits the day before. "Like what?"

"How I used to stay out half the night without telling you where I was. Coming home stinking drunk and looking for a fight. Flirting with anything that walked. You know, basically making your life a living hell."

"Maureen…"

"You said it yourself. Or rather your silence a minute ago said it for you. Those are memories."

"No." Joanne shook her head. "It's not that cut and dry."

"Isn't it?" Maureen swallowed hard. "Are you telling me we weren't really through? At our commitment party. When we walked away from each other, our relationship wasn't over? Because that's how it played out to me."

Joanne opened her mouth to answer but no words would come out. How could she have been so blind to what Maureen was going through? How could her lover have been suffering such turmoil right under her nose? How could Mo have remembered the worst moment in their relationship without her knowing?

"Oh God, we were, weren't we? We were through!" Maureen drew in a shaky breath.

"Maureen…" Joanne's voice trailed off when she saw how pale the diva was. "Are you all right?"

"I…" Maureen tried to draw in another breath. "I can't…" She continued to struggle. "Breathe."

By the time Joanne got to her it sounded like she was hyperventilating. "Calm down, baby." She rubbed her back. "You're going to make yourself pass out."

"We…"

"We fought. Just like we'd fought a thousand times before."

"It… It wasn't… the same…"

"Stop talking and listen to me." Joanne pulled her into her arms, hoping the contact would somehow help calm the diva. "Yes we said some pretty awful things to each other that day. Things I know we both regretted. But that's par for the course with us." She felt Maureen start to relax. "We're both independent, strong willed, pig headed women who find it morally offensive to lose a fight. So we pull out the big guns, blast away at each other and, at the time, damn the consequences. Then, when we realize what we've done, we get together, apologize and do some of that making up you were talking about last night."

"This was different."

At least she could talk again. "Was it?"

"Yes." Maureen nodded as she pulled away, still looking shaky. "I made a complete ass of myself in front of your family. They were nice enough to have that party for us and I ruined it. If I hadn't…" She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to try to compose herself. "If I hadn't been drunk and stupid and hit my head, would we have gotten back together? Would we have made up again?"

Joanne sighed. "I don't know." She realized how that must have sounded and quickly tried to clarify herself. "Because we never got the chance to find out, did we?"

"No. You felt sorry for me and took me back out of the goodness of your heart."

"Excuse me?"

"I said you felt sorry for me." Maureen pushed herself up off the couch, wincing at the movement. "First I was in a coma and when I woke up we found out I have amnesia. Someone as responsible as you couldn't just walk away from something like that."

Joanne was genuinely shocked by her words. "Is that what you really think?"

"Yes. Why else would you have stayed with someone like me? I wasn't exactly up for any girlfriend of the year awards, or do you need me to go over the laundry list of my inadequacies again?"

"Maureen…"

Her voice shook. "You deserve someone who loves and cares for you."

"But you…"

"Who puts you first no matter what. I never did that."

"Yes you…"

"I thought of myself… What I wanted or needed and said to hell with everyone else. I…" Tears filled her eyes. "How could you stand me?"

"That's enough!" Joanne yelled to make herself heard. "My God Maureen, what the hell did my mother do to you?"

"She pointed out the truth." 

"No. She manipulated you into thinking like her. Your mouth is moving but her words are coming out." She held up a hand to keep the now crying diva quiet. "You had your say. Now it's my turn."

She started toward her girlfriend. "If you honestly think I'm with you because I feel sorry for you, you don't know me at all." She cupped Maureen's cheek to make her look at her. "You're here because I love you, Maureen. Having a fight in front of our family and friends could never change that. You getting hurt was a push from fate as far as I'm concerned. When you were…" She bit her lip, trying to keep her emotions under control. "I could feel you slipping further and further away and I realized that if I couldn't get you back, I wanted to go with you. You're my life, Maureen. I'm nothing without you."

Maureen threw her good arm around her. "I love you so much!"

Joanne finally let her own tears fall as she held her close. "I love you too, baby. And I'm so sorry."

"For what?" Her words were slightly muffled as she laid her head on the lawyer's shoulder.

"For not realizing what you were going through. For yelling at you when you told me about your dreams. For my mother making you doubt yourself."

"That's just it, she didn't. Not really anyway." Maureen pulled back to look at her. "I know you're not going to like it, but I was already wondering what kind of person I was before she paid her little visit. You can't dream… remember," she corrected herself, "the things I have without questioning who you were before."

"Maureen…"

"No, Joanne. I hurt you, I hurt our friends and in the end I hurt myself. I don't want to be that person anymore. Not if it means the possibility of losing you. You're everything to me."

Joanne sighed. "You've put a lot of thought into this."

"Yes I have. Just like I know I should have told you about my dreams sooner. I won't keep anything from you again." She ran the back of her fingers down Joanne's cheek. "I hate that I upset you."

"Can I just say one more thing and then I promise I'll drop the subject."

Maureen rolled her eyes. "Fine."

"You are the same person, Maureen. Whether you like it or not. Amnesia might take your memories, but it doesn't change who you are. And I wouldn't want it to." Joanne kissed her on the nose. "I like you just the way you are."

"You mean with amnesia."

"No, I mean as Maureen." She covered the diva's lips in a gentle but smoldering kiss. "My Maureen."

Maureen leaned against her. "It scares me how much I love you."

"Tell me about it." Joanne gave her one last squeeze before holding her at arm's length. "I have an idea."

Maureen grinned. "What might that be?"

"Not what you're thinking." Joanne returned her grin. "Since you won't take any of your pain medicine, how about if I draw you a nice hot bath. That should help with the soreness you're feeling this morning."

"But I can't get my arm wet."

"You can prop it up on the side of the tub."

"A bath does sound nice." She batted her eyelashes. "Will you join me?"

"No."

She pouted. "Why not?"

"Because there's not room for the both of us. Not for the kind of soak you need. Besides, I'll make us something for breakfast while you're in there. Then we can eat together and cuddle up on the couch."

"All day?"

Joanne nodded. "All day."

"Just the two of us?"

"Unless you want to invite the cop who arrested you. I think he liked you."

Maureen ignored the comment. "And we can watch a movie?"

"As long as it's a comedy. I think we've had enough emotional stuff for a little while."

"You've got yourself a deal."

Joanne smiled. "If you're a good girl I might even see if the others want to come over for pizza later."

"You're going to spoil me." Maureen gave her a lingering kiss.

"Come on." Joanne put her arm around Maureen's waist to lead her toward the bathroom. "Let's get you settled in the tub."

"Yes ma'am." Maureen leaned against her as they walked.

Joanne kissed her on top of the head, finding it hard to believe she had actually snuck something past the diva. Usually Maureen knew when she was trying to keep anything from her, but not this time. She had no idea there was an ulterior motive for inviting the others over that night.

No idea at all.


	11. Chapter 11

Joanne hummed to herself as she put a dab of vegetable oil in the skillet. Making scrambled eggs and frozen blueberry waffles hardly qualified her as a domestic goddess but knowing she was making them for her woman brought a warm feeling to the pit of her stomach. Speaking of her which, it was time to check on Maureen before she got started. The diva had been in the tub for almost forty-five minutes.

"Honeybear?" She knocked on the bathroom door before walking in. "How's it going?"

"Great." Maureen was standing at the mirror in a towel. "Thanks for suggesting a bath. I feel human again."

"Anytime." Joanne kissed her on the shoulder as she came to stand behind her. "How do waffles and eggs sound?"

"Two of my favorites." Maureen turned around, wrapping her arms around the lawyer. "See how much easier this is without the sling?"

"Tell me it doesn't make your arm hurt or pull at your stitches and I'll let you keep it off." Joanne raised her eyebrows as Maureen opened her mouth to answer. "And don't lie."

Maureen closed her mouth again with a sigh. "Fine. But will you help me put it back on once I'm dressed?"

"You know it. Why don't we go ahead and change your bandage now?"

"Do we have to?"

"Do you want your arm to get infected?"

"No."

"Then yes, we have to." She opened the medicine cabinet to get the supplies she needed. "Sit down."

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" The diva eyed her wearily as she sat on the side of the tub.

"Yes, Chicken Little. The nurse at the hospital gave me very specific instructions."

Maureen furrowed her brow. "She did?"

Joanne grinned as she knelt beside her. "Oh yeah, you had your happy drugs by then."

"My what?"

"Never mind." Joanne took Maureen's arm in one hand and started pulling at the tape holding her bandage in place.

"Ow!"

"Still a little sore?"

"More like a lot."

"Sorry." Joanne carefully removed the old bandage, cringing when she saw the wound again. It was still red and angry looking under the stitches.

Maureen frowned at the expression on her face. "Is it really that bad?"

"No."

"Does that mean I want to look at it?"

"No." Joanne shook her head. "Let's just say you had reason to say 'ow' a second ago and leave it at that." She cleaned the wound, put some antibiotic ointment on it and re-bandaged it. "There." She gently kissed the white gauze. "All better."

"Wow, quick and painless." Maureen looked into her eyes. "I'm impressed."

"I aim to please."

"You succeeded."

"Good." Joanne gave her a peck on the cheek. "Now hurry up. Everything will be ready in just a few minutes."

"You call that a kiss?" Maureen pouted. "Am I losing my touch?"

Joanne grinned as she moved in closer, nipping at Maureen's lower lip before capturing her mouth in a sweet embrace. "Better?"

"Mmmm." She kept her eyes shut. "I think that might have been perfect."

"Might have been?"

"I'll have to have another one to compare it to."

"Oh, in that case." Joanne kissed her again, wrapping her arms around her lover as she got into it. "How was that?"

"Even better." Maureen moved in for another one just as her stomach growled.

"That's my cue to leave." Joanne pulled away from her.

"Traitor!" Maureen pointed at her towel clad midsection accusingly.

Joanne laughed. "We can pick up where we left off in a little while. For now get dressed. Everything should be ready by the time you're done."

"All right, but I might not be able to perform as well once I'm dressed." Maureen shrugged. "There's just something about being in a towel."

"Put some clothes on and I promise to make it worth your while." With that Joanne left the bathroom, smiling when she heard Maureen grumbling at her about being a tease.

She was almost to the kitchen when someone knocked on the door. Her smile quickly faded when she opened it and saw who was standing there.

"Dad."

Mr. Jefferson gave her a half smile. "Hello Joanne."

"If Mom's with you you can just…"

"She's not." He cut her off. "Can I please come in?"

"I guess." Joanne moved so he could step into the apartment.

"You better give me extra points for getting dressed so fast." Maureen came around the corner in a pair of skin tight jeans and her bra, a tank top and her sling in her left hand and her right one behind her back holding her bra closed. "Well technically I'm not completely dressed yet. I need you to help me with my…" Her voice trailed off when she saw Mr. Jefferson standing next to Joanne. "Oh shit." She realized she was only half dressed and her eyes got big. "Oh shit!" She ran back toward the bedroom.

Joanne bit her lip, not sure if she should be embarrassed or bust out laughing. "I'll, uh…" She nodded in the direction Maureen had gone. "I'll be right back."

"Take your time."

Joanne found an extremely red faced Maureen pacing around their room. "You could have given me some warning, Jo!"

"I didn't have time. He knocked on the door right before you came out."

"I have never been so embarrassed."

"Sure you have." Joanne chuckled.

"This is _not_ funny."

"Yes it is. Now stop moving around and I'll help you." She started fastening her girlfriend's bra. "I am so turned on right now."

Maureen looked over her shoulder at her. "Are you kidding me?"

"I know." Joanne pulled her into a kiss. "But I can't help it. You're so damned cute when you're mortified."

"Shut up and help me with this too."

The lawyer did as she was told, slipping the shirt over the diva's head before helping her put her left arm through the arm hole. "This isn't helping things." She kissed her again.

"Stop that!" Maureen tried her best to sound sincere as she finished putting the tank top on. "OK, help me with the sling so we can get back out there."

After some wrestling and a lot of wincing on Maureen's part they finally got her arm in the sling.

"I'm sorry that hurt so much." Joanne pouted. "Let me make you feel better." She drew her into another lingering lip lock.

"You don't play fair." Maureen breathed against her mouth as they pulled apart.

"I know." Joanne gripped her hand. "Let's go see what my father wants."

Maureen sighed. "Talk about ruining the moment."

Mr. Jefferson was standing in the same spot when they came back down the hall.

"Sorry about that." Joanne spoke once they reached him.

"Yeah." Maureen blushed again. "I didn't realize anyone else was here."

"Don't worry about it." He looked at the two of them. "I heard about what happened at the police station last night. I wanted to make sure you were all right."

"We're fine." Joanne moved into the living room, pulling Maureen with her so they could sit on the couch leaving her father to settle into one of the chairs facing them. "At least I am. Maureen made sure of that."

Mr. Jefferson nodded. "That's what Lieutenant Woodbridge told me."

Joanne frowned. "You talked to the lieutenant?"

"Of course I did. I hear my daughter is involved in a shooting, I want to know all the details." He looked at Maureen. "He made you out to be quite the hero. He said there might even be a commendation from the department."

"It was nothing."

"I'd hardly call that nothing." He gestured at her sling. "Are you going to be all right?"

"She's going to be fine." Joanne put her hand on the diva's thigh.

"Joanne's quite the nurse." Maureen gave her girlfriend an appreciative look.

"I want to thank you for saving my daughter's life, Maureen."

"Mr. Jefferson, you don't…"

"Please, call me Philip."

"OK, Philip." She did as she was told. "You don't have to thank me. I did what I had to do. I mean, I couldn't just sit there while Joanne was in danger."

"Nonetheless, you were hurt protecting my daughter. For that you deserve more than my thanks."

Maureen looked uncomfortable. "You're welcome."

"I also wanted to apologize for my wife's actions of late. She…"

"No."

Philip frowned when Maureen interrupted him. "Pardon me?"

"I said no." Maureen repeated herself. "You haven't done anything to apologize for."

"But…"

The diva looked at Joanne. "Now I know where you get it." She returned her attention to Mr. Jefferson. "You're not responsible for the things your wife has done Mr. Jeff… Philip." She corrected herself. "So no apology necessary."

Joanne shrugged when her father looked to her for help. "She told me the same thing."

Mr. Jefferson looked impressed. "It takes quite a young woman to have that kind of attitude, Maureen. Especially after everything my wife has put you through. I would demand that she come here to apologize herself but…"

"No!" Joanne interrupted him this time. "I'm sorry, Dad, but I don't want her around Maureen ever again." Her tone left no room for discussion.

"I know honey. That's what I was about to say." He pursed his lips. "I just wanted the two of you to know that she doesn't speak for both of us."

"Really?"

"Don't sound so shocked, Joanne. I know I should have come here sooner, but I wasn't sure the two of you would see me." Philip shrugged. "I like you, Maureen. I always have."

It was Maureen's turn to be shocked. "You have?"

"Yes. I know you and Joanne have had your fair share of, shall we say rough patches?"

Maureen felt ashamed, knowing he was referring to the now infamous party.

"But every relationship has its ups and downs. That's what makes them interesting. And my daughter has never been as happy as she is when she's with you." He looked lovingly at Joanne. "She practically sparkles. And I know you're responsible for that."

Maureen looked doubtful. "It could be body glitter. I got her some for Christmas."

Philip laughed. "It's not that kind of sparkle. Very few people find their soul mates in their life time, but I can honestly say my little girl has found hers. And I'm grateful for that. Nothing makes me happier than seeing her so content."

Joanne had tears in her eyes. "Daddy."

"Well, its true, Joanne. And I couldn't stand the thought of you not knowing how I felt." He looked at Maureen. "Both of you." He started to stand. "And now that I've said my piece I should be going."

Joanne stood too, pulling her father into a hug. "Thanks Daddy."

He held her close. "You're welcome princess."

"You could stay you know." Maureen spoke as she pushed herself off the couch. "We were just going to have some breakfast."

"No, I should really be getting back. I wouldn't want Joanne's mother to come looking for me."

"I've gained a little perspective lately. I'm pretty sure I could handle her this time." Maureen offered him her hand. "Thanks for the kind words."

He pulled her into a hug. "No thanks necessary."

Joanne put her arm around Maureen's waist as they followed her father to the door. "Don't be a stranger, Daddy."

"I won't." He smiled as he looked at the two of them. "Take good care of each other."

"I love you, Daddy."

"I love you too princess." With that he shut the door behind him.

Maureen turned Joanne to face her, not at all surprised to see she was crying. "Happy tears?"

"The happiest."

"You're dad's quite a guy."

"Yeah." Joanne wiped tears from her cheeks. "He is, isn't he?"

Maureen nodded. "Now why don't I help you with the eggs and waffles so we can get around to that cuddling?"

"Sounds like a plan." Joanne took her by the hand but stopped after a few steps to pull her into a passionate kiss.

"Mmmm." Maureen purred as they separated. "What was that for?"

"Just because."

"Can I look forward to more of that when we're done eating?"

"Oh yeah."

She dragged the lawyer toward the kitchen. "Then let's get this show on the road. I have a feeling I'm going to need this meal for energy."

"I think you might be right."

"Did your dad actually call you princess? Because you _really_ don't strike me as a princess. A pumpkin maybe, but not a princess." Maureen grinned. "Unless you want to try some role playing. I bet I could find a tiara somewhere."

Joanne laughed. Her father was right. She had never been happier in her life.


	12. Chapter 12

"Hey, that's mine!"

Mark looked at the piece of pizza in his hand. "That's funny. I don't see your name on it."

Roger sighed. "Don't be a jerk. Just give it to me."

"No."

"Mark…"

"It's not my fault you move too slow, Roger."

"There's more pizza in the box." Mimi looked back and forth between them.

"That's not the point." Roger glared at Mark. "He saw me reaching for that piece so he took it."

"I did not."

"Oh really? Then why did you tell me I moved too slow just a second ago?"

Mimi rolled her eyes, saying, "You two are hopeless," before heading back into the living room.

"I'm serious Mark, give it to me."

"No way. I got it fair and square."

"I'll give you fair and square."

Mark ran as Roger started toward him. They burst into the living room behind a much slower moving Mimi. Mark broadsided her, knocking her into an unsuspecting Maureen, who was talking to Collins. Mimi managed to stay on her feet but Maureen's leg hit the chair, spilling her to the floor before Collins could catch her. She hit hard, landing on her injured arm. Everyone froze as she cried out in pain.

"Maureen?!" Joanne was the first to move, springing up off the couch and hurrying across the room to fall to her knees next to the diva.

"Give me a second." Maureen's voice was breathless as she rolled onto her back, her right hand cradling her left arm.

"What the hell is wrong with you two?!" Mimi chastised them both.

"I… We…" Mark stammered.

"Jesus, Maureen." Roger stared at her. "Are you all right?"

"Of course not. She fell on her arm!" Collins shot him a look.

"Everyone calm down." Angel, ever the voice of reason, spoke up. "Collins, help Joanne get her to the couch."

"I…" Maureen's brow creased in pain as she sat up. "I can do it."

Joanne stroked a piece of hair out of her lover's face. "Let us help, Honeybear."

Maureen nodded, wincing as the two of them got her to her feet.

"I am so sorry, Mo." Mimi followed them.

"It wasn't your fault." Collins glared at Mark and Roger.

"I'm fine." Maureen spoke as she sank down on the couch.

"I'll be the judge of that." Joanne reached for her arm as she sat down next to her.

Maureen frowned. "What are you doing?"

"Checking your arm."

"Now?"

"You just fell on it. You might have ripped out some of your stitches."

"You better hope she didn't!" Mimi snarled at her boyfriend and the filmmaker as they joined everyone else at the couch.

Maureen concentrated on Joanne. "Couldn't we do this in the bedroom or something?"

"We're not squeamish, honey." Angel put her hand on Maureen's shoulder as she positioned herself behind the couch. "Go ahead, Jo. Make sure our girl is OK."

Joanne was more than happy to comply, anxious to see if her girlfriend was all right. There would be hell to pay if she wasn't. And not just for Mark and Roger either. Maureen would fight them tooth and nail if she had to make another trip to the hospital for stitches.

"Eww!" Mimi forgot about being mad at Roger, burying her head against his shoulder as Joanne pulled the bandage away from Maureen's arm.

"That's, uh…" Mark looked like he was going to vomit.

"I think I spoke too soon." Angel gestured toward Mark, her eyes drawn to Maureen's arm. "Someone needs to sit him down."

"Damn it." Collins grabbed him, putting him in one of the chairs. "Now stay put. With your luck you'd faint and land on her."

"Men don't faint, honey." Angel tried to lighten the mood as Collins went back to kneeling in front of Maureen. "They pass out. It sounds more manly."

"I take back what I said last night." Roger looked a little green around the gills too as he watched Joanne inspecting the wound. "Getting shot sucks."

"How is it?" Collins asked Joanne, choosing not to have a look of his own.

"The stitches are fine." She gently put the bandage back. "But I bet it hurts."

Maureen nodded as she leaned against the back of the couch. "Like a bitch."

Angel ran her fingers through her hair. "Do you want me to get you something?"

"No thanks." Maureen gave her a half smile.

"Maybe we should put the rest of this off until tomorrow." Roger shrugged. "You know, give Maureen a chance to recuperate a little more."

"The rest of what? Were we going to play strip poker or something?" Maureen sat up, frowning when she saw everyone looking at everyone else. "All right, what's going on?"

"Nothing." Joanne finally spoke up. "Maybe you're right Roger. We should wait."

Maureen's frown deepened. "Wait for what?"

"No we shouldn't." Angel cast her vote. "We came here with a mission tonight and I think we should do it."

"Do what?" Maureen growled.

"Joanne told us what's been going on." Angel forged ahead before anyone could stop her. "How you've been remembering things and how that's been making you feel."

Collins nodded. "And she asked us over tonight to see if maybe we could help."

"What?" Maureen looked confused.

"She thought maybe if we shared some of our memories with you it would make you feel better." Mimi jumped in. "Give you some of the good to go with the bad you've been remembering."

Maureen turned to Joanne. "You did this?"

The lawyer nodded, not quite sure of the expression on her lover's face.

Maureen switched her attention to her friends. "And you all agreed?"

"Damn straight we did." Angel answered for everyone. "We know you better than that nasty old bitch!" She put her hand over her mouth. "Sorry Joanne."

"Go ahead." Joanne waved off the comment. "If the shoe fits she has to wear it."

"So you've all been talking about me behind my back?" Maureen sounded hurt.

"No!" Mark finally spoke up. "I mean yes." He wanted to kick himself for opening his mouth at all. "We talked about you but not the way you think."

Maureen frowned again. "Did your lips move? Because if they did, then you talked about me the way I think you did."

"Joanne told us how upset you were today, Mo." Mimi tried again. "We just want to help."

"Well you can't." Maureen tried to get up but Collins put his hand on her leg to keep her where she was.

"Yes we can." He gave her a look when she tried to get up again. "We love you, Maureen. And when you love someone you do whatever it takes to make sure they're not hurt." He nodded toward her sling. "You proved that last night."

"So what, we're going to have a meeting of the mutual admiration society?"

"No, we're going to talk and you're going to listen." Collins corrected her.

"What if I don't want to?" Maureen growled. "I can't believe you're ganging up on me like this!"

"We're not ganging up on you, sweetie." Angel put her hand on her shoulder again. "We just want you to realize that you're not the person Joanne's mother made you out to be."

"I remember being that person!"

"No, you remember the things she wanted you to!" Joanne swallowed hard. "Please, Maureen. This is tearing you apart. Just listen to what they have to say." A tear slid down her cheek. "For me."

"You're fighting dirty, Joanne. You know I can't stand to see you upset."

"How can I not be when you are?" Joanne blinked back more tears.

Maureen sighed. "All right." She looked around at her friends. "Fire away."

Joanne gripped her girlfriend's good hand in both of her own. "Thank you."

"I'll go first." Collins volunteered.

"Are you sure you wouldn't rather draw straws?" Maureen bit her lip when Joanne squeezed her hand. "Sorry."

"I wanted to start because you're my best friend." Collins continued, nonplussed. "We hit it off the first time we met, which was right before…" He cleared his throat. "Right before I found out I was HIV positive. Everyone treated me different after that, like they could catch what I had just by being near me. Everyone but you." He locked eyes with Maureen. "You walked right up to me, pulled me into a hug and said, 'To hell with what those doctors said. You're not going to die until you're damn good and ready. So stop moping around and use that lump between your shoulders to make the most of the time you have left.'" He smiled. "I've been doing just that ever since."

"I can attest to that." Angel winked at her lover. "I haven't known you very long, Mo. The first time we met was after your last protest. But I have to tell you, I've never been so nervous before in my life. I fell hard for Collins and someone would have to be blind not to see the bond the two of you share. Being the way I am, I thought you would disapprove and he would send me packing. But that's not what happened." She grinned. "You didn't even give me the 'hurt him and die' speech. You just accepted me with open arms."

"She didn't give you the speech because she knew you could kick her ass." Roger's tone was teasing.

"I don't know about that." Mimi furrowed her brow. "Maureen was a pretty convincing knight in shining armor for me." She ignored the way everyone looked at her. "I started at the Cat Scratch the day I got into town. I didn't know anybody. I was just a kid who ran away from home and took the first job she could find. So when this guy started giving me shit on my second night at work, no one cared. You either sink or swim as a dancer. I held my own while I was in the club, but he was waiting for me when my shift was over." She shook her head and looked at Maureen. "I honestly thought I was a goner until you showed up. I don't even know where you came from. One minute he had me backed up against a wall and the next you were stepping into the none existent space between us, asking him if you could help him with something. He backed off and you walked me to the shelter where I was staying. The next night you were back to tell me about an apartment that was open in your building. Vouched for me with the super and everything." A wistful look fell over her face. "Sometimes I find it hard to believe we're actually friends now. You seemed almost super human to me before."

"Our Wonder Woman." Collins gripped Maureen's leg.

"That's just it, you're always there." Mark shrugged. "I can't think of a more eloquent way to put it. Ever since Collins convinced me to let you move into the loft with us you've been there for me. I've never had a lot of friends. And frankly, outgoing people like you tend to intimidate me. But you just kept at me until we formed this amazing relationship. Even after…" He suddenly looked uncomfortable. "We were an item for a short time."

"I know."

Joanne looked at Maureen. "You do?"

"At least I had my suspicions." Maureen clarified. "The dream about your mom and the gun started out with me being in bed with him."

Angel gasped. "Someone gave that woman a gun?"

"You had a dream about me?" Mark grinned, skipping the drag queen's comment.

"I hate to burst your bubble, but I woke up next to you, screamed and started asking for Joanne." Maureen answered.

"Oh." The filmmaker blushed.

Roger laughed out loud. "That's the Maureen I know. There's no bullshit with you. You speak your mind and to hell with what anyone else thinks. It's always been real between us. You've helped me through more than a few tough times by not holding back." He clinched his jaw. "It might seem like I don't care sometimes, but I do. I just figure having someone like you in my life means a lot so the least I can do is return the favor by being the same person in yours. You know, like a brother sister thing."

Silence fell over the room as everyone looked at Maureen.

"Wow." She raised her eyebrows. "I don't know what I'm supposed to say."

"You don't have to say anything." Joanne rubbed her back. "I just thought you needed to hear what they had to say."

"You were right." Maureen looked around at each of them in turn. "I knew you were all special to me, but…" Tears filled her eyes. "You've given me a lot to think about. I, uh… I need some time alone to process it all. Excuse me." She was up off the couch and headed down the hallway toward the bedroom in a flash.

Mimi looked at Joanne. "Aren't you going to go after her?"

"No." Joanne shook her head. "It's one of the hardest things I've ever had to do, but she has a lot to sort through in that head of hers and I can't help her."

"She'll be all right, Jo." Roger comforted her. "She's one of the toughest people I've ever met."

Joanne didn't trust her voice to answer as she looked in the direction Maureen had gone, hoping he was right.


	13. Chapter 13

Joanne peered around the door as she opened it, shocked to find the room was pitch black. "Maureen?"

"Yeah?"

She jumped when the answer came from somewhere in the darkness. "Can I come in?"

"Do you really have to ask?"

She wanted to latch on to the teasing response and hope for the best, but you couldn't always gauge Maureen's mood by the tone of her voice. She could sound like she was happy go lucky and be totally pissed off.

"Do you mind if I turn on the lamp?"

"Knock your socks off."

Joanne hesitated before throwing the switch, trying to prepare herself for a brooding Maureen. Once her eyes adjusted to the light she saw her girlfriend sitting on the floor with her back against the foot of the bed, eyes closed.

"Are you all right?"

"Sure. Just thinking." She didn't move as Joanne sat down next to her.

"I'm sorry." Joanne looked at her sadly, resisting the urge to run her fingers through Maureen's hair.

"Because I'm thinking?"

"No, for tonight. I shouldn't have sprung everything on you like that."

"What is it with you and your family apologizing?" Maureen turned her head to look at her. "You were right about me needing to hear what the others had to say."

"But obviously it upset you. You've been sitting here by yourself in the dark for almost two hours now."

"Two hours, huh?" Maureen seemed surprised. "I guess that would explain why you came in acting like you were walking into the lion's den." She saw the look on Joanne's face. "I'm fine, baby. I'll admit I was a little emotional when I left the living room but having other people tell you so much about yourself can have that effect on a girl."

"Did it help you remember anything?"

She shook her head. "My mind is still a relatively clean slate."

Joanne sighed. "Then all I did was force memories on you like my…"

"Don't you dare compare yourself to her." Maureen squeezed the lawyer's arm. "You weren't trying to be mean or vindictive, Jo. You were trying to help me. And you did."

"I did?"

"Yeah. I might not have remembered anything, but I realized something." She turned to face her better. "I can't keep beating myself up over this whole amnesia thing. If I'm meant to remember something I will, if not, oh well. I'm surrounded by people who love me for me, not for my memories. Like Angel said, we'll just make new ones." She shrugged. "And believe it or not I think I might even owe your mom a thank you."

"What?!"

She grinned again. "I knew that would get you."

"Damn straight it does! All she does is meddle in our lives and attack you and…"

"And make me realize what an ass I was before." Maureen finished for her. "Don't you see, Jo? You said me getting hurt at our party was like a wake up call from fate telling you we're meant to be together. Well remembering all those stupid things I did is the same thing. Only in my case it's my heart telling me not to mess this up." She swallowed hard. "You're it for me, Joanne. I think I was afraid to admit that before and that's why I acted the way I did. But if I'm anything now like I was then, the thought of not being with you…"

Joanne put her finger over Maureen's mouth. "Shut up and tell me you love me."

Maureen frowned. "How am I supposed to shut up and tell you I love you at the same…" Joanne cut her off with a kiss. "Time?" She finished her thought as their lips parted.

"You knew what I meant." Joanne grinned.

"Let me make sure I understood."

Maureen drew her into another kiss, lowering her to the floor as their tongues danced. Joanne groaned in pleasure, wrapping her arms around her lover and rolling her over so she could be on top.

"Ow!" Maureen hissed in pain as her left arm brushed the floor.

"Shit. I'm sorry, Mo."

"Damn it." Maureen growled. "That does it. I'm through."

Joanne's heart sank. "Through?"

"Not with you." Maureen growled as she tore at her sling. "With this."

"I don't think…"

"Now really isn't the time to argue with me."

Joanne couldn't help but grin as she watched her squirm, getting nowhere. "All right, I can't stop you. But you're going to end up hurting yourself."

"I'm going to have to hurt you if you don't hurry up and help me."

They worked as a team to get the sling off. Once it was over her head Maureen grabbed her lover, pulling her into a steamy lip lock. Joanne's hands took on a life of their own, one finding its way into the diva's hair as the other snaked under her tank top. She let her fingers play along her girlfriend's side until they finally came to rest on her breast.

"God, Joanne, I love you."

"I love you too." She breathed against her cheek. "Marry me, Maureen."

"What?"

"Marry me." Joanne nipped at her parted lips. "I've never loved anyone the way I love you." She kissed her. "I want everyone to know. I want you to be my wife."

"Just don't call me Mrs. Jefferson." Maureen captured her lips hungrily.

Several minutes later Joanne finally succeeded in pulling away from the diva. "Was that a yes?"

"It definitely wasn't a let me think about it." She grinned. "But I was serious about the whole Mrs. Jefferson thing."

"I'll see what I can do about letting you keep your maiden name." Joanne cupped her cheek. "Wait here."

Maureen groaned as the lawyer climbed off of her. "Where are you going?"

"You'll see." Joanne went to the nightstand on her side of the bed and grabbed something out of the drawer. "I've had this for you for a while."

"Yea, a present." Maureen sat up in anticipation. Her eyes got big when she saw the small satin box cradled in her girlfriend's hand. "Joanne?"

"I know you already said yes, but I want to do this right." She helped Maureen up, sitting her on the bed before getting down on one knee. "Maureen Johnson." She opened the box. "Will you marry me?"

"Oh my god!" Maureen looked at the delicate silver band it contained. "It's gorgeous."

"It was my grandmother's."

Maureen raised her eyebrows. "Your mom's mom? Talk about some irony."

"No, dad's." Joanne chuckled. "My grandfather bought it for her when he was working as a butcher's assistant, so he couldn't afford much." She took it out of the box. "But my grandma wore it with pride until he replaced it for their fiftieth anniversary." She smiled. "There's a lot of love connected with this ring. And there's no one I'd rather give it to." She locked eyes with Maureen. "So…"

"Yes." Tears filled the diva's eyes. "Of course I'll marry you."

Joanne's hands shook as she took Maureen's left hand and slipped the ring on her finger. "It's a perfect fit."

"It's perfect period." Maureen stared at it for a second before looking up at Joanne. "But I don't have one for you!"

"You already gave me one." Joanne held out her left hand.

"That piece of junk?"

"It's the ring you gave me the day you agreed to commit to me." Joanne looked at it lovingly. "I haven't taken it off since."

"You will when I get you a new one."

"No I won't because you're not getting me a new one. It's as perfect to me as yours is to you."

"You're a softie." Maureen put her hands on Joanne's cheeks, kissing her on the nose. "And I love you for it."

"I love you too." Joanne smiled as she looked at her. "I can't believe you're mine."

"Well I am, baby. Hook…" Maureen pulled her up on the bed, kissing her chastely. "Line." The second kiss lasted a little longer. "And sinker."

Joanne took over as their lips met the third time, pushing the diva onto her back as she deepened the kiss. They lost themselves in each other, giving in to the passion they felt.

"Damn." Maureen was breathless when they pulled apart. "I love when we do that." She looked at her ring again. "Too bad everyone else went home. They're gonna flip."

"Why don't we go find out?"

"Huh?"

"No one left yet." Joanne explained. "They all wanted to make sure you were all right. That's why I came in here."

"So they're out there waiting for you?" Maureen wrinkled her nose. "Let's make moaning noises so they'll think we're having sex."

"No, let's go tell them our news so they'll leave and we can really have sex."

"Oh, I like your plan better."

"I knew you would."

Maureen grabbed her as they both stood, kissing her soundly. Joanne let her have her way for a moment before pulling away.

"You do realize we have to leave the room to tell them, right?"

"Yep. I just wanted to give you something to look forward to."

Joanne shook her head. "And you call me a tease?"

Maureen smiled as she gripped the lawyer's hand and walked out the door.

Roger shook his head as they came into view. "Took you long enough. I thought we were going to be out here all night."

"Shut up." Mimi gave him a playful shove from her position on the arm of his chair.

"Are you all right, Mo?" Collins asked before anyone else could.

"I'm more than all right."

Mark flinched as she raised her left hand. "You're not going to show us your arm again, are you?"

"And what if she…" Angel's eyes bugged out of her head when she saw the ring. "Dios mio! Is that what I think it is?!"

"What?" Collins looked at her like she had sprouted a second head.

"Holy shit!" Mimi spotted the ring next, moving toward the couple at the same time as Angel.

"What the hell is wrong with you four?" Roger frowned, looking to Mark for some kind of explanation.

"Don't ask me." The filmmaker shrugged.

"Me either." Collins furrowed his brow in confusion.

Mimi shook her head. "Men."

"Tell me about it." Angel pointed at the ring. "They're committed again."

"Actually," Joanne smiled at Maureen. "We're engaged."

"What?" Mark's mouth popped open.

Maureen nodded. "We're going to get married!"

"No way." Roger looked equally shocked.

"Are you kidding?" Collins smiled from ear to ear when Maureen shook her head. "I'll be a son of a bitch!" He charged the diva, picking her up in a bone jarring embrace.

"Engaged, huh?" Roger grinned. "I can't believe someone finally got our Maureen to agree to settle down."

Joanne cocked an eyebrow at him. "You just hadn't found the right woman for the job."

"Touché." He grinned as he got out of the chair and pulled her into a hug.

"This is great, you two." Mark piped in.

Maureen pulled away from Collins to look at him. "Really?"

"Yeah." He nodded. "Why wouldn't it be?"

"I just…" She shrugged. "I didn't know if it would be awkward or something considering we used to be together."

"Maybe at one point it would have been, but not now." He hugged her. "I've never seen you so happy."

"I've never been so happy." Maureen gushed.

"Way to go Joanne." Mark shook her hand.

"Thanks." Joanne put her arm around Maureen's waist as everyone finished congratulating them.

"We're going to have a wedding." Angel fanned herself as tears filled her eyes. "Our little Mo and JoJo are getting married!"

"It's so sweet." Mimi wrapped her hands around Roger's arm, putting her head on his shoulder.

"Pan in on the happy couple." Mark produced his ever present camera, focusing it on Maureen and Joanne. "Why don't you reenact how you popped the question?"

"OK." Maureen looked at Joanne. "I was on the floor, you were on top and your hand was on my…"

"I think we need a more G rated version." Collins spoke over her. "In case you want to show it to your kids someday."

"Babies?" Angel's eyes lit up. 'You're going to give us babies?"

"We're gonna be aunts!" Mimi squealed.

Roger sighed. "You're acting like one of them is pregnant now." His eyes got big as he looked at Joanne and Maureen. "That's not why you're getting married is it?"

Maureen chuckled until she realized he was serious. "Have you ever even heard of the birds and the bees?"

Joanne gave her a squeeze. "Play nice."

"Now that we've immortalized Roger's lack of biological knowledge, why don't you give each other a kiss?" Mark was still filming.

"I think we can handle that." Joanne turned Maureen to face her. "Come here fiancée."

"I like the sound of that." Maureen slowly wrapped her arms around the lawyer's neck.

They gazed into each other's eyes for a moment before bringing their lips together in a tender yet passionate caress.

Mark smiled as he zoomed out, capturing Collins clapping, Roger catcalling and Angel and Mimi looking on longingly.

Maureen smiled as the kiss ended. "Our family."

Joanne put her forehead against the diva's with a smile of her own. "We wouldn't have them any other way."

THE END


End file.
